Chuck vs The Domino Effect
by Maverick41
Summary: Au starting from "Chuck vs. The Ring." Bryce uploads 2.0 and Sarah leaves with him to be on team Intersect. *Yeah one of those stories* How will that event shape Chuck's future and who he ends up with?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So…New to FanFiction and this is my first story attempt ever, unless you count writing stories for homework. This story probably has been done to death; however one night while I was trying to get to bed, it popped into my mind and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it all down. **

**In a nutshell, this story is about Sarah leaving Chuck to be on team Intersect with Bryce and all the after effects from that event. The story starts off in the episode "Chuck vs. The ring," and instead of Bryce dying, he downloads 2.0 in time. Sarah, too afraid to have a true relationship with Chuck, leaves with Bryce. Again this idea has probably been done before, but hopefully this is different enough to be my own.**

**By the way, words in italics are characters thoughts.**

**I don't own Chuck even though the first part of the chapter is just dialogue from Chuck vs. the ring. No money being made, just a harmless story being written.**

…

**Chapter 1**

**April 2009**

"Sarah I…"

"Wait uhhh…There's something that I have to tell you."

"I can't wait…I can't wait, I can't wait any longer ok. Everyone keeps asking me what I'm gonna do with my future, and the truth is I don't have a clue. All I do know is that I want you to be in it…"

"Chuck please I really have to tell you…"

"No, no guns, no lies, just us. Just like I've always wanted it. I've recently come into a little bit of money, so any place you want to go, any place at all, as long as it's sunny, with little umbrella drinks. What I'm getting at here is…Sarah Walker, will you do me the honor…of taking a vacation with me."

"Chuck I'm leaving in the morning. The…details are classified, but I'm working on the new intersect project, with Bryce…"

"Bryce"

"I am I'm so sorry, I wanted to wait until after the ceremony to tell you."

"Thank you for coming to the wedding…good for the cover."

**Morning after the wedding**

"Devon I'm worried." The newly appointed Mrs. Woodcomb stated to her husband.

"What's the matter Babe?" Devon was worried they weren't going to make their plane in time for their honeymoon.

"Does Chuck seem a little too happy to you?" Ellie asked words full of worry.

"The Chuckster is just super happy for us honey. I mean why shouldn't he be happy? We just got married, your dad is back in your lives, and he's got Sarah."

Just then, Chuck walks out of his room with a smile plastered on his face. _God I hope they don't suspect anything._ "Hey guys, you better get going or you'll be late for your flight…" He walks over to Ellie and gives her a hug. "…I'm gonna miss you so much sis."

Ellie tightens the hug. "Is everything ok Chuck, you seem…different."

"I'm just…Awesome!"

At the word, Captain Awesome's ears perk up and he raises his hand for a high five which Chuck slaps.

"Come on Babe he's fine, we really should be heading out."

"Fine…we'll be back in 3 weeks Chuck…don't spend every night playing videogames with Morgan!" Ellie shuddered at the thought of her little brother and Morgan leaving a mess all over the place playing games 24/7. "Oh and tell Sarah we'll miss her!"

"About that El…" _Crap!_ "…she knows." _She also doesn't seem to care. God I hate Bryce! Nooooo, it's not enough that he screws me over in the past, he has to come back from the dead and screw me again and again and again. Which reminds me, is he a friggin cockroach? He just doesn't seem to…_

"Hello…earth to Chuck?" Ellie waves a hand over his face trying to break him out of his musings.

"Wahhh…yeah, sorry about that. Get going guys, I'll be fine."

Chuck had to physically push Ellie, and to a lesser extent Devon, out the door just to get them to leave. He walks back into his room and flops face first onto his bed.

'Humph' "Couldn't tell them Walker abandoned you to play house with pretty boy huh?"

With his face still buried in his bed, he asks barely audible…. "What do you want Casey, shouldn't you be off in Afghanistan or something?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright Bartowski. After I heard about Walker high tailing it out of here, I figured you would be upset."

Chuck lifts his head off the bed and he sees Casey standing outside the Morgan door. "Really?" His tone hopeful but his eyes are red and puffy.

"No moron, Beckman ordered me to babysit you for a couple of weeks just to make sure you don't get yourself into trouble and spill all our nation's juicy little secrets."

"Just throw me in a bunker than, I don't care!" Chuck flops his face back down on the thankfully soft bed.

'Humph' _Walker really messed this kid up bad. _"All the bugs are still in, so try to keep the lady feelings down..." Casey than turns and is about to walk back to his apartment when he stops and over his shoulder says "We're just not wired that way Bartowski…..If Walker chose Larkin over you, than she's a moron too." And with that, Casey retreats back into his apartment. _I can't believe I just said that! The idiots getting to me!_

Chuck took a week off from the Buymore and spent those days getting drunk; leaving Morgan with the responsibility to carry him home. The moment Morgan hauled him inside though, Chuck makes a beeline for his room, locks the door, and cries himself to sleep; sometimes mumbling Sarah's name between sobs, much to Casey's displeasure.

Stephen Bartowski even checked up on his son from time to time to help his son out. Although, God bless him, for the life of him he had no idea what he should really be doing to help brighten his spirits. Chuck's self loathing got to a point where Casey shot up all the listening equipment in his living room because he couldn't stand listening to Chuck moan on and on about how much he missed Walker and how Bryce was so much better than he was.

To take Chuck's mind off things, Casey dragged him, sometimes kicking and screaming, to work out and train. Since John was going to be there as long as Beckman see fit, he thought he would bring Bartowski on his daily work out and training sessions so he could get the enjoyment out of seeing the moron physically struggle. _Oh, and of course to help Chuck keep his mind clear._ He thought.

At first, he was reluctant, to say the least, to do anything physically taxing. Chuck didn't want to do anything but get drunk and sleep, period. After awhile though, he somewhat enjoyed it since it actually got him out of his own head and away from his neurosis. By the end of the second week, he actually surprised himself at how much into this he was getting.

One day after their morning 5 mile run, Chuck and Casey sat near the fountain of their courtyard to relax. "I got to admit moron, you're not nearly as pathetic as you were a week ago."

"Gee thanks Casey, I love you too."

"Shut-it Bartowski!"

"In all seriousness I…uh…well I was kind of thinking…"

"Spit it out!"

"DOYOUTHINKIHAVEWHATITTAKESTO BECOMEANAGENT!" Chuck yells all in one big jumble.

"What!?"

"What would you think if I told you I wanted to become a spy?"

"You've been crying about getting that computer out of your big head to live a 'normal' life, and now you're saying you want back in? Oh Christ does this have anything to do with Walker!"

"NO…" _Well maybe a little, ok maybe a lot. Who am I kidding; it has everything to do with her. Well it did anyways. Focus!_ "…it use to but not anymore, not really anyways. I just want more from my life. After Sarah left I did a lot of thinking…"

"Is that what you call crying Bartowski, 'thinking'?"

"Look…Sarah always told me how much of a great guy I was, and how I'm a hero, and how I can have anything I want." _JUST NOT HER! _"Well I've thought about it, and I know I want to help people and that I deserve more than the Buymore. When I thought about the past when I had the, you-know-what, setting aside all the danger around me, I really did save a lot of people."

'Humph'

"Okay, okay, you and Sarah saved people, but I helped! I think with the right training, I can do a lot of good for this country."

Casey sighed. "Chuck look…"

"Hey you said my first name!"

"Grrrrrrr…look, what we do isn't glamorous. We sacrifice so much and get nothing in return. This is not like your cartoons where everyone loves and celebrates the heroes."

"I KNOW THAT! I'm not looking to be praised, although some thanks would be nice." Casey is about to laugh at that but catches himself last minute as Chuck continues. "I just think this is what I should be doing. Not pining for Sarah and working at a Buymore forever. I think I'm meant to help people, and I can't think of a better way to do it. Pleeeaassseee Casey, help me become a spy!"

John thinks to himself how horrible this could turn out for the kid, but then again, he also thinks with the proper training, it could turn own fairly well. With the work outs alone, he sees when Chuck sets his mind to something, there's no quit in him. _Maybe this is the right thing to do. Who am I to stand in the way if he is so dead set on saving the world, so to speak. God I wish I could see Walker's face if he actually becomes an agent._

"Casey, why are you smiling?"

"Huh…nothing, no reason…Look I'll talk to Beckman and see what she thinks and if she agrees then we'll go from there, but if she says no then drop it."

Chuck moves towards the Colonel to give him a hug but John stops him in his tracks. "Hug me and die Bartowski." And with that, Casey turns around and enters his apartment slamming the door behind him.

"This is what I want right?" Chuck asks an empty courtyard.

Another week goes by and with every hour that passes, Chuck's resolve to become a spy gets all that much stronger. The daily work-out routines continue with Chuck making vast improvements in everything John teaches him. Unfortunately, what has also become a routine has been Chuck pestering the Colonel for Beckman's answer.

Casey is actually rooting for the kid, but when it comes to the General, Casey has to formulate a game plan and not play fast and loose. On the day that the Woodcombs are due to arrive back from their honeymoon, the Colonel decides to just lay it all on the line instead of putting it off longer.

**3 weeks after the wedding**

**Inside John Casey's apartment**

Casey walks in front of the monitor and picks up a remote lying on the coffee table in front of him. _This better work or Imma kill the twerp. _He hits a button and the screen comes to life showing Beckman looking over some paperwork.

Diane realizing the video conference is live, quickly snaps her head to attention only to be facing, technically speaking, the Colonel. "What is the meaning of this conference? Is everything alright Colonel?" Worry actually evident in her tone.

"Yes ma'am, Bartowski is safe and there doesn't seem to be any suspicious activity. I uhh…well I was wondering if I may speak with you for a moment General?"

"What is it John, I'm very busy."

"Well Chu-Bartowski has informed me that he wants to become an official NSA agent ma'am. He…"

"I'm sorry Colonel I must not have heard you right, can you repeat that?" Her face clearly showing bemusement.

"Yes General…Bartowski wants to become a spy."

"And I don't want the intersect inside of the head of a prick, but we can't always get what we want Colonel." The General not even trying to hide her smirk.

"Permission to speak freely General?"

With a sigh Diane relents for her favorite agent. "Very well, proceed."

"With the right training, I believe that Chuck can be a valuable asset to this country, even without the intersect." _Did I just say that?_

"Chuck?"

"Bartowski ma'am…"

"I know his name John, but I didn't know you two were on a first name basis." Beckman states arching her brow in the process.

"Whatever my feeling towards Bartowski, which I assure you there are none, doesn't change the fact that I believe he can become one of the best."

"Are you willing to put your career on the line for him John?"

_Oh Shit! Ronald Regan give me strength. _"Yes ma'am, I am. He can do it."

After a minute of mulling it over, Beckman comes to a decision. "Very well, I trust your judgment. For the life of me I can't see him as a spy but apparently you see something I don't…There is a new facility in Prague. Bring him there when you think he's ready, and you along with the instructors there will handle his formal training…Let it be acknowledged that I hold you responsible for whatever happens to Mr. Bartowski." She states with a tone that leaves no room for argument.

"Yes ma'am, thank you ma'am." And with that the General cuts the video feed. _Great, now if the moron doesn't make it, my ass is on the line._

While the conference was going on across the courtyard, inside casa Bartowski, Chuck and Morgan are trying to get the place ready for Ellie and Devon's' return.

"Hey little buddy, help me string this banner up."

"Sure thing Chuck…Hey, you think Ellie missed me?"

Chuck opened his mouth to respond, but before he had a chance, the door swung open. There standing in the doorway was Devon Woodcomb carrying his new bride Ellie Woodcomb across the threshold.

Once Devon placed Ellie on the floor, Morgan dropped the banner and ran to hug Ellie, much to Chuck's dismay. "ELLIE YOU'RE BACK!" The little bearded man yelled as he was held back at arms' length by Mrs. Woodcomb.

"Chuck, what is Morgan doing here?" Ellie asked with just a hint of annoyance.

"Relax El, he clearly just missed you." Chuck said as he climbed down the ladder and gave his big sister a hug. Once Chuck tried to release the embrace however, Ellie wanted no part of it and just squeezed tighter until all the air was out of Chuck's lungs.

"Group hug…AWESOME!" And with that Devon joined in the embrace. Feeling left out, Morgan wrapped his arms as best as he could around Chuck and Ellie on the opposite side of Devon.

Just then, Casey appeared in the doorway. '_Humph', they're back, I must be losing my touch. _Casey clears his throat to get their attention. "Sorry to interrupt…Welcome back Ellie, Devon; I just need to speak with Chuck a moment; if that's alright."

"Hey El I really need to talk to Casey." Chuck says to his sister through puppy dog eyes.

Ellie snorts. "Fine. Go ahead…Will you be joining us for dinner John?"

"I would love to, thank you. Chuck let's talk outside"

"Be right back sis." Chuck walks out with Casey, shutting the door behind him. "What's going on Casey everything alright?"

"I talked with Beckman…for some odd reason; she agreed to give you a shot."

"That's GREAT Casey!"

"Keep it down MORON!" Casey hissed. "Just know that if you screw up, my Career is over."

Chuck took a visible gulp. "Wha…Wha…What d-do you mean by the word 'over'?"

"Let's just say, if you fail, both our lives are over…Mine because I'll wind up a civilian, and yours because I'll kill you for failing!" To add emphasis to what he just said, Casey poked his index finger in Chuck's chest. Much to Casey's amusement, Chuck visibly paled.

Regaining his composure Chuck asks "So what happens now?"

"Well basically…"

During the Welcome Home dinner, it was a little tense since everyone was in attendance except Orion and a certain blonde angel, and no one seemed to want to speak of her. Ellie couldn't hold her tongue any longer so decided to press the issue. "Chuck…where is Sarah for God's sake!?"

Chuck slumped his shoulders and opened his mouth to speak. _Nothing like the present right? _Before he could get in a word edge wise, Morgan again cut him off. "She who may not be named, numero 2, doesn't deserve to be here!"

"Morgan hush!" Ellie demanded.

"Hey I'm just trying to stick up for my main man, right Chuck?"

Chuck looks at Casey for guidance but John just shrugs his shoulders. _What the hell, I'll try the truth when it comes to Sarah for the first time. "_Well you see…S-Sarah kind of ran off to be with her ex?" Chuck's tone sounded more like a question rather than a statement.

"WHAT!" Ellie screamed.

"Not Awesome." Devon stated looking at Chuck with sympathy in his eyes.

"WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!?"

"Please calm down sis…Well you see it kind of happened when…" Chuck looked down and Ellie instantly knew.

"Are you telling me, she left right after the wedding, and you didn't tell me before I left to go on my honeymoon?!" Ellie gritted through her teeth; trying her damn best to keep from yelling for Chuck's sake.

"Look, I didn't want to worry you guys and ruin your vacation. I was alright anyways, Sarah just isn't the one."

"Dude, you getting all drunk every day for a week and having me take care of you is your definition of alright?" Morgan asked innocently.

Ellie's eyes widen in shock while Chuck turned to Morgan and glared causing the little man to shrink in his seat next to him.

"I really am ok Ellie, both Morgan and Casey were there for me, and Casey really helped kept my mind off things by making me work-out with him."

"I knew you looked bigger Chuckster. Awesome John!" Devon stated with gratefulness for helping out his brother in law.

'Humph' Casey nodded his head.

"Yes thank you John, but come on Chuck. You loved Sarah way more than that bit-…Jill, and look how that turned out. You're telling me you got over Sarah in three weeks?" Ellie was definitely not buying it.

Chuck let out a frustrated sigh. "I never said I was over her El…I just…Look I still love her, but I can't waste another five years at the Buymore pining for some girl who will never think I'm good enough to love."

"Oh Chuck…" Ellie started with sadness in her voice.

"Listen up, everybody…I may not be on cloud nine, but I'm not on the verge of killing myself either. With Sarah leaving, I've decided to take control of my life and I guess this is as good a time as any, but I'm going to be gone for awhile."

"Where are you going? What are you going to do? How long will you be gone? Is this because of Sarah...Gahhhh I could kill her!" Ellie said through a mixture of rage, confusion, and hurt.

"Bro you don't have to go anywhere, we're here for you." Devon said.

"You can't leave me Chuck! Who am I going to play COD and Halo with!?" Morgan clearly upset that his best friend is leaving him behind.

Chuck placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder. "I'm only going to be gone for six months, a year max. I told Casey how I wanted to better my life, and through his connections, we both got jobs at a software company back east. We're essentially going through training till they deem us ready to work in one of their L.A. branches…I just need this, and I think this is what I'm meant to do"

Ellie, seeing how Chuck has his mind set asks "When do you have to leave?"

"In a week." Chuck could clearly see how much his answer deflated Ellie.

With his sister on the verge of tears, Chuck gets up from his chair and walks over to Ellie to give her a hug. "I promise I'll come back as soon as I can sis. I love you."

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and despite all the things Ellie tried to do to keep her brother from leaving; she knew deep down that Chuck needed to do this. The morning of Chuck's departure sure was a solemn affair inside Casa Bartowski. Morgan, Ellie, Devon, and Chuck just finished breakfast when Chuck went over to Casey's to bring him over; since there was no way in hell Ellie wasn't going to drive Chuck to the airport.

Chuck opens the door to Casey's apartment when a sudden wave of confusion washes over his face. "Dad...What are you doing here?"

"Is there something you want to tell me Charles?"

_Oh Crap! _

**A/N(2): So I hope that's an OK stopping place. All reviews are welcome. Questions, good comments about my story, and especially constructive criticism are encouraged. If you want to comment about how horrible my story is or how bad my writing is, don't continue to suffer and stop reading. I guess if no one likes the story there's no point in continuing LOL. Hope that's not the case. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. I'll try to address and fix all the concerns some of you have, but this is my first story so it's bound to be rough. If anyone wants to discuss the story, drop me a PM.**

**Special thanks to my betas JennyStone and uplink2. Check out Jenny's new story Sarah vs. the Kill Order. It's, for lack of a better word, Awesome. Also, check out uplink2's new story Chuck vs. Life, Love, & Lies. All his stories are fantastic so there's that. **

**I don't own Chuck. Don't own HALO. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…

**Chapter 2**

**3 weeks after the wedding**

**John Casey's apartment**

"Is there something you want to tell me Charles?"

_Oh Crap! _"Uhhh w-what are you talking about?" Chuck's tone apprehensive at the thought of what his dad already knows.

"Charles how can you do this?" Orion said dropping his head in disappointment. "After everything we did to remove the Intersect, you're just going to throw all that away? I never wanted this life for you son."

"Look, what we did wasn't all for naught…I'm not planning on re-intersecting myself, I'm just training to be a spy, like Casey and Sarah."

'Humph' "Look you two can discuss your lady feelings some other time, we got a plane to catch Bartowski." Casey looks between the two Bartowskis. "Uhh…I'm talking to the moron Bartowski."

"Casey relax." Chuck said trying to hide his annoyance.

"Son, I'm not going to support you on this. I don't think this is the way to get Sarah back."

At that, Chuck couldn't hold back his anger any longer. "And what do you know about what loved ones' want; you left us with no explanation!" Chuck realizing what he said cringed, unable to look his dad in the eye. "Dad, I didn't…"

"No son, you're right, I did leave….But I thought it was the right move at the time, to protect you and Ellie. I'm sorry." Orion slumped down in a chair next to him; tears starting to break through his eye lids.

Chuck sighed. "I understand Dad…really I do. I'm sorry to have brought that up, but I'm just so sick and tired of everyone thinking that the only reason I'm doing, whatever it is they think I'm doing, is because of Sarah…There's no doubt she's a part of the decision, but I truly believe this is what I need to do. I'm so frustrated that everyone thinks they know what's best for me. With Bryce it was getting me kicked out of Stanford and sending me the Intersect. With you, it was abandoning your family….God only knows what Casey and Sarah have done!"

'Humph'

Chuck ignored the Colonel's grunt and continued. "I think I'm meant for something more; and this time, it will be my choice, and mine alone."

Stephen lifted his head. "You seem pretty adamant about this." Orion stated cracking a smile. "There's no way to talk you out of this is there Charles?"

"Sorry dad, but I'm doing this whether you approve or not." Chuck responded with a determined expression.

With a sigh, Orion got up from his chair, walked towards Chuck, rolled up his sleeve, and unstrapped his wrist computer. "Will you at least take this?" Orion handed the wrist computer to Chuck. "It saved my life many times, hopefully it won't have to save your life, but it's always good to have backup."

"What am I chopped liver?" Casey asked, offended at the idea that a computer would be better backup than him.

Both father and son Bartowski erupted in laughter.

Not one set of eyes were dry when everyone said their farewells. Even the mighty John Casey's eyes were glassy. Although Chuck promised everyone he would keep in touch, he knew deep down he might have to break that promise for awhile.

**May 2009**

**Roughly 13 hours since departure from L.A.**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

They walked into an abandon looking building, but once inside it looked anything but. After going through many security checkpoints, they headed straight for Chuck's room. When they opened the door, it was a tiny room with a bed flushed on the right side and a desk with a table light on it flushed to the left.

_That's it? _"I'm too big for this room Casey; I think we're in the wrong one."

"Suck it up Bartowski, this is all you need…On that note, give me that stupid computer." Casey huffed.

"Computer...Ooooh, you mean Cortana…I'm going to get her back right?" Chuck smiled innocently.

"I swear Bartowski, if that's some sort of geek reference, Imma hit you."

"Nerd." Chuck corrected

Chuck never saw the punch coming. Thankfully Casey only hit his shoulder. "OW! Why!?"

'Humph' And with that Casey stalked off, calling back over his shoulder, "Get some sleep, tomorrow, the torture begins!"

_He has to be kidding. Wait a minute, its Casey we're talking about. What have I gotten myself into!? _Chuck was royally freaking out as he paced the inside of his room.

**Undisclosed warehouse in Paris**

"You ready Mrs. Anderson?" Bryce, wearing a form fitting tuxedo, put his arm around Sarah's waist to pull her closer to him.

"Those are not our cover identities anymore Bryce!" Sarah snapped. Sarah wore her hair in a bun and had on an elegant blue evening gown. _Why did I choose to leave Chuck again?_

Bryce removed his arm around her waist; a look of annoyance on his face. "Sarah what the hell is wrong with you? You've been off your game for the past several days…oh yeah and the fact that you keep biting my head off seems like a clear indication something's wrong."

Sarah sighed as she turned to look Bryce straight in the eye. "Tell me the truth Bryce, why download the Intersect, and why did you get Chuck kicked out of Stanford?"

Bryce quirked his brow. "Seriously, you're acting like this because of Chuck?" Bryce couldn't believe it. "Look Sarah, I had to do it, Chuck's not cut out for this life like you and I are. He would have gotten himself killed in training for God's sake!" He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know what happened between you two, but you did the right thing leaving him; just like how I did the right thing."

Sarah huffed, fists at her side clenched into balls. "Chuck is a lot stronger than you give him credit for…You didn't even give him a chance to decide, you just made his choice for him!"

"First off, if Chuck didn't have the Intersect, he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did in our world. Second, what I did was far less as bad than what you did. Chuck's a sensitive guy, and for you to play him like a mark was cold…We're not the bad guys here Sarah, we do what we have to because no one else will." Bryce argued.

"I DIDN'T PLAY H-…whatever! Let's just get this mission over with. The faster we complete this mission, the faster we can start bringing down the Ring." _I didn't play Chuck. I lo…I lov…I care about him. I left so he wouldn't get hurt…or was it so I wouldn't? No, Bryce is right; we have a duty to do. We're both better off anyways…rig-…_

"Sarah focus…I don't know why you're so upset anyways, you chose to be with me. Can't say that I blame you though." Bryce put on a seductive smile.

Sarah resisted the urge to punch Bryce right in that smug mouth of his.

They finished their mission prep and started heading for their destination where they were to slip out of a party to acquire intel on the latest news about the Ring's higher ups. One name in particular kept popping up whenever the Ring was involved. Daniel Shaw.

"SARAH!" Chuck sat up abruptly from his bed covered in sweat. His watch read 4:58am and he groaned inwardly and fell back on his bed. _It was just a nightmare. I'm sure she's safe. I mean she's Sarah Walker for goodness sake. Plus she's with Bry-…Great, now I want to hit something!_

The door suddenly burst open causing Chuck to yelp and fall out of bed. He looked towards the open door and saw the colonel who was decked out in all black BDUs. "Casey what the hell! You scared me half to death."

'Humph' "Good now you're awake, and just in time for our morning run…By the way, spies don't squeal like a girl when they get scared…you know what, spies don't get scared, period."

"Great pep talk Casey" Chuck looked at his watch which now read 5:00am. "Casey, we usually run later, why so early?"

"You got a lot to do today. After our run, you'll head down to the dojo to meet your hand-to-hand combat instructor. Then you'll get down to the shooting range and meet me for a weapons course. You'll end the day with Roan for Infiltration and Inducement of Enemy Personnel."

"Wait what about all the other things I should learn?" Chuck asked while hopping around his room, trying to get dressed for his run.

"Hold your horses Bartowski. Let's see if you can pass the simple tasks before you move up to the big boy levels."

"So…since you have the whole day planned for me, when do I get to eat and relax?"

Casey just started laughing as he took off running.

Chuck gave chase. "Casey, what's so funny!?" He yelled after the big bear of a man running in front of him. _He's still laughing, what's so damn funny!?_

**August 2009**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague **

The slender brunette fell flat on her back with a smack. 'Umph' "What the hell Chuck, take it easy!" The browned hair woman dressed in a tight sports bra and sweat pants groaned once recovering from having the wind knocked out of her.

"Sorry about that Tiffany, I guess I just got a little over excited today." Chuck shrugged sheepishly. Walking towards his fighting instructor, he held out his hand to help her up.

"Excited huh...does that have anything to do with me?" Tiffany gave him a seductive/predatory look that almost sent Chuck retreating as she accepted his help.

Once Tiffany was up, Chuck explained. "Come on Tiffany we've been over this before, we…"

She cut him off. "What do you not fine me attractive? Is it another woman, who is it?" A little dread started to creep into her tone. There was a little bit of jealousy in her eyes for the woman who might not even exist.

Chuck started turning red. "You're extremely attractive, it's just that…" _You're not blonde. You're not an expert at throwing knives. You're not my kick ass ninja girl. _"…it's just, you're my teacher, it wouldn't be right." Chuck frowned, he really liked Tiffany, and she seemed to be interested in him, which surprised him a great deal. He didn't want to hurt her feelings.

Tiffany seeing how sad he looked wanted for him to smile again. How she loved that damn smile. "Hey it's alright…She's insane you know."

"Who?" Chuck was caught off guard and the panic and confusion was evident on his facial expression.

Tiffany laughed. "The woman who let you go." She turned her face away as she said that, not willing to let Chuck see her upset. _This is so unprofessional! Who is this skank anyways?_

From the doorway, Casey could be seen shaking his head in disbelief. _The kid is improving at an insane level. Before I know it, he'll be almost as good as me! And what the hell! Did he just turn down Agent Andrews again!? He's still hung up on Walker! Grrrrrr…would love to give Walker and pretty boy a piece of my mind. If they somehow screw him over again, I swear…wait what the hell is wrong with me? DAMMIT BARTOWSKI! Got me feeling lady feelings! _

**Hotel ballroom somewhere in New York**

Bryce held his watch close to his face, "Sarah where the hell are you?" He waited a couple of seconds for her to respond. When he figured she probably wouldn't, he continued. "Our mark is in the southeast side of the room."

"Copy, I'm going to intercept and meet you at our rendezvous spot." Sarah stated, finally coming back into radio contact.

"Where have you been?" Bryce hissed. "And no, this mission is surveillance only. You will not make contact with the mark." His eyes widen with shock as he watched Sarah, wearing a skin tight red sequence dress, saunter over to their mark; a low level Ring assassin.

Bryce was furious with Sarah for disobeying an order. He turned around and ordered a drink at the bar as he gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to just leave her behind, but he was too pissed off to watch. Once Sarah left with their mark, he would meet her at the rendezvous spot, and then they could talk.

After Bryce saw Sarah and the assassin leave, he in turn left. He ran into a little bit of trouble on his way out, which he quickly solved with the help of the Intersect. As quick as he was, when he walked inside the pre-agreed upon location, Sarah was already standing over their mark, who was tied to a chair; cut, bloody, bruised, and clearly unconscious.

"What the hell was that!?" Bryce yelled as he stalked over to her.

_Great, what does he want now? _"What's the big deal, so I deviated from the plan a little; still a win in my book." Sarah really didn't want to deal with Bryce after that sleezeball assassin actually put his hands on her. _God how I miss Chuck._

"You disobeyed a direct order from your superi-…"

Before Bryce could finish, Sarah abruptly cut him off. "We're partners Bryce; you're not my boss." She deadpanned.

"You're not the one with the…" Bryce pointed to his head. "…ok? You have to follow my lead and the intel I provide if this is going to work." He walked over to their prisoner to check his vitals. "You're becoming unpredictable Sarah. What's going on…where's the old Sarah I could count on to have my back. Hell we don't even have sex anymore."

Sarah rolled her eyes. _Of course this is about sex. All men ever want from me is sex. The one man I find who actually loves me for me, and I run like a coward. STUPID!_

Bryce's shoulders dropped and he took a step towards her. He softened his voice and tried to sound compassionate. "Look if you want to talk about it we can…"

Sarah could clearly tell Bryce was faking sympathy.

"…but if you don't, that's fine too, but you got to get your shit together or you're going to wind up getting one of us killed."

'Humph' Sarah grunted while folding her arms across her chess. _I'll kill you if you don't stop annoying the hell out of me. Hmmm I wonder what Chuck is doing now?_ Sarah smiled without even noticing it.

Bryce just looked on in confusion wondering why she would be smiling all of a sudden.

**December 2009**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

"Hey Casey" Chuck waived as he walked over and sat across the table from the Colonel in the mess hall. "Ellie and Awesome send their early Happy Holiday wishes."

Casey paused midway towards his bite of food. "How did you…"

Chuck just held up his left arm which showed the wrist computer strapped to it. "Thanks for giving me back Cortana by the way. You couldn't imagine some of the things I figured out I could do with this thing." Chuck put his arm down and took a sip of coffee. "Before you ask, yes the call was secure, thanks to this baby right here." He patted Cortana gently. "How did I ever live without this thing?"

'Humph' "Nerds and their toys."

"Casey how many times have I got to tell you, I'm not a geek, I'm a ne-…Oh, wait."

Casey just rolled his eyes. "Aside from still being a pain in my ass, you've done great work here Bartowski…Your almost finished…" All of a sudden, Casey seemed to tense up as he continued finishing his food. _All that's left is the Red Test. Can the kid do it?_

"Thinking about the Red Test huh?" Chuck asked.

Casey looked at Chuck with eyes full of bewilderment.

"Come on Colonel, you don't think I could read you by now?" He gave Casey a thankful smile. "I did learn from the best…Roan sure is great isn't he?" Chuck's smile turning to a smirk.

Casey let out a loud howling laugh which surprised, and quite frankly frightened, everyone in the mess hall.

Once Casey's laugh died down, Chuck continued, face all of a sudden showing no hint of humor. "I know what I'm expected to do, and I know what I want to do…I guess when the time comes, I'll find out what I need to do. Does that make sense?"

The Colonel grunted. "We'll, just a heads up, you don't have a lot of time to figure it out, so get your shit together."

**Virginia **

**Sarah Walker's Condo**

Sarah sat in a lotus position on her bed wearing a shirt stolen from Chuck and some blue boy shorts. Team Intersect was given a couple days off as a reward for another job well done. She sat in bed playing with the bracelet Chuck gave her for Christmas. _He saw me kill Mauser and he still, for some ungodly reason, loved me. After everything I put him through and everything he's seen me do, he still chose me._ She flopped face first on her bed. _I couldn't even put his feelings above my own for once! Maybe I really don't deserve him._

Sarah Walker was never someone accustomed to crying, but the pillows that night were more damp then dry.

**January 2010**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

Chuck was sitting at his desk in his room fiddling with Cortana. "Dad's a genius!" He said to the empty room arms in the air with a smile that rivaled the ones of children on Christmas morning.

Just then, Casey barged into his room. "Stop making out with Cortana Chuck…It's time."

**A/N(2): Well that's it for the second chapter. Chuck's Red Test coming up; I wonder what he'll do. That's actually legitimate concern lol. Would love to read some people's opinions on what you think he should do. **

**Any and all reviews are appreciated. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's another weekly installment of the Domino Effect. Thank you everyone who reviewed, favortied, and followed this story. I really appreciate it all.**

**Special thanks to my betas JennyStone and uplink2. Check out Jenny's & uplink2's new stories because they are Awesome.**

**I don't own Chuck. Don't own Family Guy. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot. For some reason, whenever i upload my story, the symbol I use to break up parts of my story changes. So instead, I used that big line to symbolize a break.  
**

…**..**

**Chapter 3**

**January 2010**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

Just then, Casey barged into his room. "Stop making out with Cortana Chuck…It's time."

"What's going to happen now?" Chuck asked while putting on a brave face despite his palms beginning to sweat.

Casey threw a blue package at him and entered Chuck's room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Details are all in there. I'll be nearby providing surveillance but…you're on your own for this one." Casey had a stoic expression on.

After a couple of minutes, Casey stood up to leave, but when he reached the door handle, he looked over his shoulder and said, "Stay sharp out there." He then plastered on a smirk. "Don't mess it up moron."

* * *

**January 2010**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

**2 Hours after receiving Red Test package**

Chuck was pacing his room picking up the package and placing it back down on the table every few minutes. The closest he ever got was opening the top of the envelope just too quickly close it. He kept staring at the blue package like it was Pandora's Box; and to him, it very well could have been.

He finally mustered up the resolve and sat on the chair in front of his desk; his right foot tapping nervously. _Come on Chuck, if you want to be a spy, you have to do this!_ _I wonder if Casey could…Stop it! _He chided himself and slammed both fists on the top of his desk. _You have to do this on your own._

He rubbed his hands together and slowly opened the top of the blue package. He slowly reached his hand in and felt something hard. With his hand slightly trembling, he pulled out a laptop. _A laptop?_ He placed it down and blew out the huge gust of air he hadn't realized he was holding in.

With his eyes clamped shut, Chuck pried the device open. He could start to feel his heart rate increase at a level which he knew could not be healthy. He started a technique that his instructors had taught him when trying to calm his nerves. He took long, slow, and deep breaths focusing on the rise and fall of his chest. He could feel his heart starting to slow down to a reasonable rate. With his eyes still shut, he counted to three and hit the power button on the laptop.

The computer made a pinging sound and his right eye quickly shot open, revealing the NSA logo on the screen. He reluctantly opened his other eye and waited while the laptop loaded. The webcam seemed to activate and a green laser beam shot out of it to scan his face. _Oh God, what if this is an Intersect upload!? Why else would Beckman ever agree to train me? _Chuck swallowed nervously.

* * *

**January 2010**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

**1 Hour after dropping off Red Test package**

Tiffany Andrews, Chuck's hand-to-hand combat instructor, walked into her dojo and saw Colonel Casey destroying her heavy bag with power she rarely has ever seen. She walked up behind him and cleared her throat while her hands were on her hip. "Ahem, overdoing it don't you think?"

'HUMPH' Casey responded with a grunt that sounded like it was filled with anger and disgust. The Colonel continued to hit the heavy bag, not even once losing focus on the unfortunate target of his anger.

Agent Andrews walked over to the left side of the room and sat on the bench, keeping a keen eye on the Colonel. _I wonder what's up with him. _She was racking her brain trying to figure out why the Colonel would be acting so petulant, well more than usual anyways. _I wonder if this has anything to do with Chuck. What has he done now? _She thought to herself shaking her head in thought back to a couple of months before…

All the instructors were on a video conference call with the General for a progress report on Agent Carmichael. Andrews thought it was strange that they would need to report on how a single recruit was doing, but she didn't question it. She heard a noise and cocked her head slightly to see Chuck near the doorway fiddling with Cortana. Suddenly, the screen showing the General was replaced with a picture of the Colonel handcuffed to a bed in his boxers. Tiffany was dumbstruck until the screen shattered because Colonel Casey shot up the monitor. Casey must have spotted Chuck because he took off running and you could hear Chuck laughing all the while trying to apologize down the hall. Both agent Carmichael and Colonel Casey were battered and bruised the next day…

Tiffany was broken out of her day dream when she burst out laughing. Casey stopped striking the bag to turn his head and he narrowed his eyes and scowled at her. Andrews smiled, pretending that the Colonel couldn't intimidate her, but on the inside, she was squirming.

When Casey continued hitting the bag, her mind started racing again. _Hmmm, this involves Chuck, I'm sure of it. Maybe the Colonel is upset Chuck is about to become a full fledged spy? No, no matter what Colonel Casey says, they seem to be friends. Maybe…THE RED TEST! _She visibly slumped as she thought back to her own red test.

* * *

**January 2010**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

**2 Hours after receiving Red Test package**

The computer finished the scan and a computer automatized voice sprang to life. "Identification complete, Agent Charles Carmichael of the NSA."

Just then, the NSA logo was replaced with the face of one General Diane Beckman. "Hello Agent Carmichael. Your mission objective today is to track down and eliminate this man." The screen now showed a white male of average build with green eyes and red hair. "His name is Patrick Tate." The screen turned back to the General. "Agent Tate has been revealed to be a CIA agent secretly working for the Ring. He's been leaking intel and has been the direct cause of numerous failed missions and a number of agent deaths. Target is considered highly dangerous, so proceed with caution. Good luck Agent Carmichael." The screen went black.

Nervously, he started to say "Well, I guess its Go T-…"

The laptop all of a sudden broke down resulting in smoke spewing from it.

"Did that really just happen?" Chuck asked the empty room. Collapsing back into his chair he asked himself out loud. "What do I do now?"

* * *

Chuck walked over to the briefing room where the main computers were located, and he connected Cortana to the main frame. After a couple minutes, Chuck was now connected to everything in the whole compound.

After he was done he went straight to the armory, and surprise, surprise, he found the Colonel sitting on a bench cleaning some guns. As much as Chuck wanted to ask for advice, he knew Casey couldn't help, so to avoid temptation he ignored the Colonel all together. Unfortunately, John seemed to have other ideas as he noticed Chuck fiddling with the thin body armor he tried to put on.

"What the hell are you doing Bartowski?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't think your target will be a little suspicious when he sees you with a vest?"

"That's why I'm going to wear this under my suit. Better to be safe than sorry…Plus it makes me look bigger." Chuck gave a wry smile. He already had gained a considerable amount of muscle to his body, but he still had a lanky frame that made him less assuming. It was all for the best since he could use that to his advantage. Plus Chuck was never a person who wanted to intimidate someone.

He had just finished putting his suit on over the body armor when he reached out for the tranq guns on the rack. He felt the Colonels eyes on him, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Casey shaking his head 'no'. Chuck visibly sighed and he moved his hand and grabbed a Five-seveN along with a silencer attachment. He also grabbed a Smith & Wesson Series V to put in his ankle holster for good measure. _Of course I chose an S&W, keep reminding yourself about the women who ripped out your heart when she left you. Idiot!_ He shook himself out of his musings. If he was going to do, whatever he was going to do, he needed some sort of clear mind; and thinking about Sarah right now would definitely muck up the works.

With a resolve that surprised even himself, he turned to Casey and stated confidently, "I'm ready."

Casey shook his head. "Do you even know where to locate him moron?"

Chuck rolled his eyes and pushed up his left arm's sleeve; which was a lot more difficult than he thought since he was wearing a suit. "Got everything I need." He typed in a couple keys on Cortana and pulled up Agent Tate's file on the wrist computer's screen. He analyzed it and continued. "From all the intel gathered, seems like Agent Tate is on a leave of absence. Apparently he's a frequent patron of the Drunken Clam in Rhode Island."

Casey huffed. "Mighty big words for a…Oh wait you're a nerd." He said all the while continuing to clean his beloved guns.

Chuck chose to ignore his comments as he stood there and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You going to watch my back right?" He asked sheepishly.

Casey gave the slightest of nods. If you weren't looking for it, you would have never caught it; but Chuck definitely caught it.

* * *

**January 2010**

**The Drunken Clam in Newport, Rhode Island**

**2 days since receiving Red Test**

Chuck stood outside the Drunken Clam; hands stuffed in his pants pockets. He looked up and stared at the bright animated neon sign of an actual clam drinking. He let out a small chuckle and shook his head.

All of a sudden, Casey's voice over the earpiece broke him out of his thoughts. "Hurry up Carmichael, we don't have all day!" Casey was a couple blocks away, set up in a black surveillance van.

Chuck looked to see if anyone was watching him. When he felt he was fine, he pushed up his sleeve and hit a couple of key strokes on Cortana. He hacked into the security system of the bar earlier, and now he could piggyback on the live video feed of the cameras. He found his mark at the end of the bar, sitting away from everyone else nursing his beer. Chuck wanted to get this over with, but he decided the smart move would be to wait outside and follow Tate till they were secluded enough for him to do, whatever he was going to do. He still hasn't figured it out yet.

He didn't have to wait long before his mark exited the bar. Patrick Tate was an agent after all, so getting drunk probably wouldn't have been such a great idea, on leave or not. Chuck started following Tate at the correct distance Casey drilled into him back in Prague. He followed him for a couple of blocks, but out of the blue, Tate turned into an alley. _Did he make me? No I was definitely the right distance away. _When he looked into the dark alley Tate turned into, he saw no sign of him. _This is a trap if I ever saw one._

Chuck drew his Five-seveN that was hidden under his coat jacket stuffed in the back of his waistband. He was creeping slowly into the alley, trying not to give away his position, when he felt a sudden rush of air behind him and the sound of shoes hitting pavement. Chuck whirled around only to have his gun knocked away from him. His eyes widened in surprise at seeing Agent Tate so close to him.

Tate drew his gun and forcibly pressed it up to Chuck's head as he slammed him against the wall. "Who are you and why were you following me?" He asked in a malice tone.

"Wha-…Ho-..Where did you come from?" Chuck was surprisingly more in shock than afraid.

Patrick rolled his eyes. "Fire escape." He tilted his head and looked up.

Whether it was because of the alcohol, or because he thought Chuck didn't pose much of a threat, he made a major mistake by taking his attention away from him. Chuck used this distraction to swat the gun that was pointed at his head away and he threw a left hook that connected hard with Tate's jaw.

Patrick stumbled back a few steps. When he swung his left arm up to point his pistol back at Chuck, Chuck executed a roundhouse kick that knocked the gun right out of his hand. He followed that kick with a right hook and then a knee to Tate's gut.

With the agent slumped over, Chuck decided to end it by grabbing the back of Tate's head and forcing it down towards his knee. Patrick flew back and fell down a couple of feet away. Not willing to take his eyes off of the agent and waste time looking for his Five-seveN, he pulled his Smith & Wesson Series V out of the ankle holster and aimed it at Tate.

The person he was supposed to kill was on the floor and Tate was shaking his head trying to clear the daze he was in, making himself vulnerable for Chuck to end it. Chuck's right hand started to tremble slightly while his index finger flirted with the trigger. _Do it, just do it._ He thought.

Agent Tate saw the indecision in Chuck's eyes and smirked. "Can't do it can you?"

"Shut up!" Chuck angrily replied.

That response only made Tate's smile grow wider. "It's difficult for me to take a life too. There's no shame in it." As he said this, he slowly inched his left hand towards his back up piece.

_DO IT!_ Chuck shook his head clear and made a decision. "Stand up, you're coming with me. I'm placing you under arrest."

Just then, his earpiece came to life. "Carmichael, what the hell do you think you're doing!?" Casey knew that if Chuck tried to arrest a seasoned agent like Tate, he would get himself killed.

Chuck ignored Casey and took off the earpiece and placed it in his pocket. "I said stand up! You're under ar…"

He finally realized that Tate drew another gun from his back.

Chuck took aim while Tate leveled his gun. They both fired.

'BANG' 'BANG'

Chuck fell back onto the ground as a result of the force of the bullet hitting him. He passed out a couple seconds later.

* * *

"Carmichael, Carmichael!" Casey slapped him in the face.

Chuck bolted upright. "OW! What the hell!" He looked around. "What happened?"

"Seems like you passed out." Casey smirked.

Chuck remembered getting shot, so he ripped open his shirt; the buttons flying off everywhere. He looked down and saw that the body armor stopped the bullet from penetrating his chest. He felt where the bullet was lodged in the vest.

"Told you the armor was a good idea." He smiled up at Casey.

'Humph' Casey stood up from his crouched position and walked over to Tate's body. He couldn't believe it. "Kill shot, right in the heart…Not bad kid." Casey actually felt a hint of pride for the moron.

Chuck just sat there frowning realizing for the first time what he had done. His mind started racing, thinking of the million other ways this scene could have played out.

Casey saw Bartowski spacing out and he knew what was going on. The Colonel felt for the kid, he knew all too well what it was like to take a life. The first one was always the hardest. He walked over to Chuck and just towered over him. "I already called the cleaners. You passed your Red Test Chuck, let's get a drink." With that he started walking off.

Chuck quickly got up and followed, but stayed silent. His mind kept playing the shooting over and over again. _I had to do it_. He thought, trying to reassure himself. It didn't make him feel any better.

* * *

**January 2010**

**Undisclosed Location in Prague**

Chuck and Casey returned to the training facility later than expected in the early morning, and all Chuck wanted to do was to curl up in bed and hope the nightmares didn't come. When he opened his door, he was surprised to see Tiffany asleep on his bed and a bottle of scotch with two glasses on his table. _I guessed she wanted to celebrate. _Chuck didn't have the heart to wake her so he just laid down on the floor next to the bed and pulled his coat over him and knocked out.

* * *

"Ahhhhh!" Chuck shot up like a daisy, sweating profusely.

Tiffany sprang out of bed in a fighting stance once she heard Chuck scream; only to step on him.

"Ow."

Tiffany quickly jumped back on the bed so she wouldn't be standing on him anymore. "Oh my god Chuck, I'm so sorry…why, why didn't you wake me when you got in?"

He shrugged, although it was a little dark in the room so he wasn't sure she saw. Chuck got up and walked over to the table to turn on the little table lamp. "What are you doing sleeping in my bed anyways?"

"I uh…I was just gonna see if you needed someone to talk to…I remembered my Red Test and how it affected me." She gave Chuck a solemn smile.

"And the alcohol?" He arched his brow at her and smiled.

Tiffany blushed. "I find it helps with the nightmares…Want to talk about the one you just had?"

He opened his mouth to say something but he quickly shut it and just shook his head 'no'. "I got a briefing with the General in a couple of hours, I just need some sleep."

"Well come on" she said as she patted the spot on the bed next to her.

It was Chuck's turn to blush. "Umm I uh…I don't know…uhhh…"

Tiffany started laughing. "Relax Chuck I don't bite. I won't attack you I promise." She took her right hand and made a cross sign over her heart.

He laughed and shook his head. "Why not." He turned off the lamp and got under the covers and Tiffany snuggled up to him.

"Tiffany I…"

She cut him off. "I know Chuck, we're just friends."

"It's not you, it's me…and I can't believe I just said that."

She laughed and smacked him on the chest while her head rested on his shoulder. "You're not my type anyways." She was thankful he couldn't see her face just then.

He kissed her on top of her head. "Night Tiffany."

"Night Chuck."

* * *

'BEEP BEEP'….'BEEP BEEP'…'BEEP BEEP'

Chuck smacked Cortana to turn off the alarm he set for himself and stretched. Realization hit him and he looked around. _Wonder where Tiffany went? _He decided not to dwell on it and began to get ready for his briefing with the General.

When he walked into the briefing room, he was surprised to see all his instructors, including Tiffany and Casey, and some of the staff there. They were all clapping and congratulating him; except for Casey of course. It wasn't a surprise to anybody that Chuck made an impression with everyone he met.

Somebody tapped him on the right shoulder and he jumped a little and span around. He looked down to see the General with her usual sunny disposition on her face. "General wha- what can I do for you?"

"Let's talk in private Agent Carmichael." With that, she turned and headed for one of the side rooms for privacy. She walked over to one side of a desk and sat down while Chuck closed the door behind him and sat on the opposite side. "It is my understanding that you tried to arrest Agent Tate instead of terminating him, which I might add was your mission objective."

"Well you see…yes." He sighed. He had no idea how to get out of this so he decided to tell a version of the truth. "I didn't find it necessary to kill Tate so I thought I would bring him in and possibly interrogate him."

The General did not look amused in the slightest. "I would usually fail you…however, you did complete your mission and the Colonel thinks you're ready for field work." She sat back against her chair and her posture seemed to soften a little. "I don't think you're ready."

"Wait, so I'm not a spy?" He was confused.

She let out an exasperated sigh. "You are technically, but I don't feel comfortable throwing you out in the deep end just yet; even with the Colonel as your partner."

Chuck perked up at that news. "Casey is going to be my partner!?" He was clearly excited.

The General actually cracked a small smile. "He surprisingly requested to be your partner; said something about keeping the 'moron' alive…That reminds me, call the Colonel in."

Chuck collected Casey and sat back down once inside the room while Casey just continued to stand.

"You wanted to see me ma'am?"

"Have a seat Colonel. I wanted to talk to both you and Bartowski."

Chuck looked up and smiled at Casey while Casey just grunted and took a seat next to Chuck.

The General continued. "Like I was telling Mr. Bartowski, I don't think he's ready...The DEA has asked assistance for a mission that has small ties to the Ring, so I'm sending you both. When you complete this mission, I will assess your work and make a decision. You'll be working with Agent Miller for this."

Casey growled. _Great, I have to deal with Carina again. _ "Why do I have to do this if it's just for figuring out what to do with Bartowski ma'am?"

"Well Colonel, I was initially going to just send Mr. Bartowski, but you requested to be his partner. Therefore you go together." She stated with a tone that left no room for argument.

Casey nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Chuck raised his left hand. "So this is like a probation period?"

Beckman seemed to mull it over. "Yes, that is exactly what this is. When you complete this mission, I will determine if you are fit for field duty." Diane lent forward in her chair and clasped her hands together on the desk. "Any questions?"

Chuck was genuinely excited. "When do we start?"

**...**

**A/N(2): I had real problems writing this chapter. It seems like no matter what I wrote down, it didn't seem good enough and made no sense. Hopefully it's just me.**

**Carina coming up next chapter, she's always fun. Hopefully I can write her well.**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So, this is one day early from my deadline of weekly installments, but I don't think some of you would mind. I'm going to be pretty busy with thanksgiving, HAPPY THANKSGIVING BTW, so I thought, why not post it early? **

**Thank you everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. I really appreciate it all.**

**I want to thank my beta JennyStone. **

**I also want to give a special shout out to my other beta uplink2. Without him, well this story would suck.**

**I don't own Chuck. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**.**

**Chapter 4**

**February 2010**

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

"Another mojito over here please." Chuck yelled to the waitress.

Casey growled. "We're supposed to keep a low profile while we meet with our contact Bartowski, and if you're going to order a drink, can you get any more girly?"

"Yes, yes I can…Contact, don't you mean Carina?" Chuck retorted.

Just then, a beautiful red head wearing huge black sunglasses, a bikini top, and a sarong skirt walked into the bar and started scanning the room. Every set of eyes in the establishment were trained on her, and when she found what she was looking for, she couldn't believe it.

Carina walked over to the table that Chuck and Casey were seated at and took the only empty chair left over. "You're the team I'm working with?" Disbelief evident in her tone.

"Hey what's that suppose to mean?" Chuck felt a little hurt by Carina's comment.

Carina chose to ignore his question and turned to Casey as she took off her sunglasses. "So Johnny, how have you been?" She put on a seductive smile.

'Humph'

Carina rolled her eyes. "Talkative as usual John." She then shifted her attention to Chuck. "So, where's blondie Chuckles?" At the mention of Sarah, Carina saw all the happiness evident on his facial features, disappear.

He shifted in his seat and plastered on a fake smile. "Oh you know, probably off somewhere saving the world." He forced a chuckle that sounded just plain awkward. _Where is my damn drink!?_

When his mojito finally came, he drank it all in one big gulp. _IT BUUUURNSSSSS!_

Carina could clearly see that he was hiding something, but decided to let it slide for now. _Hmmm, definitely got to get Chuck alone for a talk…or something more fun. _"Anyways…I've been working this assignment for a couple months now. Our target's name is Angel Luis. He's the drug lord here in Puerto Vallarta. I've gotten close to him and stumbled onto some information that he's connected to a small Ring outfit here. I figured we could help each other out because honestly, I'm getting real sick of Luis and this mission."

Casey smirked. "Tired of 'playing' with Luis?"

She smiled at the Colonel. "Jealous? Don't worry Johnny; I haven't forgotten our time in…"

Chuck was barely listening. Instead, his mind was on the one thing that he really wanted to stop thinking about. _I wonder where Sarah is now. I hope she's safe. What would she think of me being an agent? Would she think I'm at least half as great as Bryce now? What would she think now that I've killed someone? Wait, why should I care? Oh my god, have they been talking this entire time!?  
_

* * *

**Somewhere in Colorado**

"Bryce, the meet is going down." Sarah held out the binoculars to him so he could take a look.

Bryce walked over to Sarah, grabbed the binoculars, and took a look towards the warehouse and flashed. Bryce and Sarah were across the warehouse in the abandoned building they set up their surveillance equipment in. "I guess that guy was telling the truth about the meet."

Sarah snorted. "And yet, you decided to kill him anyway." She replied with ice in her tone.

"He was a traitor, how many times do I have to say it?" Bryce sighed. He was really getting tired of all the arguing. But He was especially getting tired of all the damn migraines lately.

Bryce handed the binoculars back and Sarah saw how exhausted he looked. She softened her stance just a bit. "What's been going on Bryce? Lately, after you flash, it looks like you've been through hell…and don't think I don't notice all those migraines you've been having lately."

He mustered up a weak smile. "I'm fine…Now come on. We have to get down there. One of those Ring agents has to know more about this Daniel Shaw character."

Even though he was always pissing her off, mainly because he was a constant reminder of Chuck, Sarah was still worried. Bryce had always been one of the greatest partners she ever had, and just because their intimate relationship was long over ever since she met Chuck, she was troubled with the effects downloading 2.0 had on him. Sure, Bryce was always overly flirty and arrogant at times, but ever since the download, he was becoming downright unbearable. She decided to let it go for now, but would make sure she got to the bottom of it when the timing was right.

* * *

**February 2010**

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Hotel Barceló Puerto Vallarta**

The next morning, they were to meet at Carina's hotel suite to go over the specifics of the mission.

Chuck could barely sleep. He was excited for his first mission as an agent, and the fact that he was afraid the nightmares would continue didn't help matters. When his alarm went off, he took a quick shower and strapped on Cortana. He got dressed in some khaki's with a light colored polo dress shirt. He of course wore his famous Chuck Taylors with the outfit, and stuffed in the back of his waistband under his polo, was a newly designed Five-seveN that shot tranq darts. He wasn't naïve. He still carried his Smith & Wesson Series V, loaded with actual bullets, strapped to his ankle. But he never wanted to kill another person unless there was no other choice.

Chuck got to Carina's room a couple of minutes before 7:00 am; the time Carina said to be there. He walked up to her door and knocked.

The door swung open, revealing Carina in a red see-through nightie. She smiled. "Come in Chuck, you're right on time." She stepped aside to let him pass.

Chuck visibly gulped. _OH GOD!_ He nervously walked inside and looked around the huge suite. "Wh… whe…where is Casey?" He was starting to stutter as he tried to look at anything but her.

She shook her head. _So cute._ "I told Casey to come a little bit later. I wanted to have a little…talk…with you first." She started walking towards Chuck like she was stocking her prey.

Chuck started backing away slowly not noticing where he was going. He was genuinely scared of what might happen if Carina got her claws into him, so to speak. Since he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, he backed right into Carina's room and he yelped when he bumped against the edge of her bed. "Carina what…"

Carina just pushed him over and he fell right onto the bed. She straddled him and attacked his lips.

Chuck didn't know what in the hell was going on, but he felt his body reacting anyways. After a couple of minutes though, he seemed to snap back to reality and he pushed Carina off of him. He pushed a little too hard however because she fell onto the floor with a loud 'thud.'

"Oh god Carina I'm so sorry!"

She stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "What the hell Chuck!" She gave an annoyed look but was actually slightly amused.

He turned crimson and started rambling. "Look, I like you and all but…I just…I can't…Not that I don't want to because I do…I mean I don't…I mean you're very pretty but…" _For the love of God, STOP TALKING! _

She laughed at how embarrassed and apologetic he looked. "Still got it bad for Walker I see." She then discarded all playfulness from her features. She was worried something may have happened to her friend. "Where is she anyways? I know you know more than you're sharing. What happened?"

He dropped his head. Chuck knew she would never let this go, so he begrudgingly explained what had happened_. _Hesitantly, he started on his explanation."She left…I asked her to stay with me…and she chose to leave with Bryce."

"Wait, I thought Bryce was dead."

Chuck cringed. He looked up at her and started rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeeeaaaahhhh… we thought he was dead too. Turns out he wasn't. Now he and Sarah are off somewhere magical, doing God knows what."

Carina actually took pity and sat next to him on the bed. "Didn't you remember what I told you Chuckles? Spies don't fall in love."

"That's ridiculous, I did." He argued.

Carina started laughing. "You're not a spy Chuck, you're an asset; there's a difference."

He gave her a smirk. "How rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself earlier." He extended his hand for her to shake. "Carmichael, Charles Carmichael, NSA spy."

She was so shocked that her mouth didn't seem to want to close. _The nerd became a spy? _

She thought to herself for a second. "Well I guess that would explain what you guys are doing here…I mean Casey I understand, but I couldn't figure out why you were here." She laughed at the situation. "How in the hell did you become a spy…no offense."

Chuck looked at her, slightly miffed. "How am I supposed to not be offended by that?"

Carina smiled and bumped him with her shoulder. "Relax Chucky." Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"That must be Casey." He looked towards the front door and back to Carina and almost forgot what she was wearing. Or, more importantly, what she wasn't wearing. Chuck quickly shot up. "I'll get it, you just get dressed." He quickly ran out of her bedroom to let Casey in.

Chuck opened the door a little flustered, and Casey eyed him wearily. "What did you do?"

"Nothing, I didn't do anything!" Chuck yelled in a panic.

From the other room Carina yelled "Twice!"

Chuck looked at the direction of her room. "What does that even mean!?" he yelled back.

John grunted and pushed Chuck inside. "Let's get this over with moron."

A couple minutes later, Carina joined the two and they sat around the coffee table which was covered by a map of Puerto Vallarta. She pointed at a spot. "Okay, tomorrow night, this is where the meeting is being held. Luis is supposedly meeting with some high ranking Ring agent named Daniel Shaw at his warehouse."

"Never heard of him" Casey muttered.

"Word is he's some rouge CIA agent." Carina replied.

"Of course he's CIA." Casey growled.

Carina continued. "So, since the meet is going down at Luis' warehouse, all the money and drugs are going to be there when this goes down. We have a team of ten DEA agents at our disposal. Luis trusts me so I'll be at the meeting. When I give the signal, initiate a full breach and we take down both Luis and Shaw."

Chuck piped in for the first time. "You should say 'Pineapple' as the signal for us to storm the warehouse!"

Carina looked at Chuck curiously. "Pineapple?"

Casey just shook his head. "Idiot."

* * *

**Somewhere in Colorado**

Team Intersect successfully captured the Ring agent who was in charge of the meeting they were staking out. They had the agent tied up to a chair while Bryce was 'interrogating' him for hours.

Sarah finally had enough. She stood up, took a knife out of the sheath wrapped around her thigh, and stalked over to their prisoner. She pushed Bryce out of the way and held the blade against the Ring agent's neck. "Tell me all you know about Daniel Shaw."

The agent remained strong. He was already bloody and bruised from the 'interrogation,' he figured they wouldn't kill him since they were CIA.

Sarah shrugged. "Ok then." She flipped the blade in her hand so it would now be pointed down. She wretched her hand back and brought it down towards the prisoner's thigh.

Before the knife entered the man's thigh, he yelled out. "WAIT! WAIT! I'LL TALK!"

Sarah smiled and put the knife back in the sheath. "So talk."

"Look all I know, is that Shaw is down in Mexico dealing with…finances."

Bryce took over. "Where in Mexico?"

"Puerto Vallarta. He's meeting with a man named Angel Luis."

Bryce turned to Sarah and smiled. "I hope you pack that one bikini I like."

Sarah gave Bryce an icy glare, but she quickly came to the conclusion that there had to be a direct correlation between the way Bryce kept acting and the Intersect. Unable to release her frustrations on her partner, she turned to their captive and struck him with a vicious right hook that rendered him unconscious.

She pulled Bryce off to the side a little. "Bryce, I think we should talk to the General and run some tests on how the Intersect is affecting you."

Bryce actually seemed to have a bit of animosity in his eyes. "I'm fine!"

He then stalked off to Sarah's surprise.

* * *

**February 2010**

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Angel Luis' base of operations**

The warehouse seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully, the meeting was after the sun had set, because all anyone had for cover was trees. Chuck, Casey, and a couple of DEA agents were waiting for the signal in the forest directly behind the warehouse.

Chuck and Casey were both decked out in all black BDUs wearing vests on top of that. While Casey had frag grenades and extra clips of ammo for his M16 Viper attached to his vest, Chuck had flash bangs and twilight darts attached to his.

The meeting had already started, but not one of the Ring agents that were there was Daniel Shaw. One of them said Shaw was on the way and that they had to wait. Carina didn't know what was going on, but she had a feeling that the agent was stalling for something. She had a bad feeling about the whole situation, and like she always seemed to do, she improvised.

Carina, who was standing next to Luis, turned to talk to him. "Luis, I don't like what's going on, I think this Daniel guy is trying to set us up."

"Hush mi mascota, everything will be fine." Luis gave her a greasy smile and slapped her on the ass.

Carina held in the urge to shoot the bastard. "Do we know what this Shaw guy looks like?" She threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "For all we know, he could look like a PINEAPPLE!"

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**In route to Angel Luis' base of operations**

Sarah and Bryce were off road in a Jeep Cherokee XJ on route to where they thought Daniel Shaw would be. There was a bit of tension between the two, but the meet was supposed to happen in an hour and they were still an hour and a half away. There wasn't enough time to deal with their issues at the moment.

"Sarah cant you drive any faster!?"

"I'm going as fast as this piece of junk can go!" _Damn I miss my Porsche. _

"This is the first solid lead we have on one of the Ring's higher ups. If we mess this up…"

"We're not going to mess this up…Now shut-up and let me drive!"

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Angel Luis' base of operations**

Casey's voice crackled through every agent's earpiece. "THERE'S THE SIGNAL, INITIATE FULL BREACH, NOW!"

Glass started shattering everywhere inside the warehouse because of all the flash bangs being thrown in. Carina knew this was going to happen so she flipped onto a table and brought it down with her to the floor to use as cover as she shut her eyes and covered her ears with her hands.

'BOOM' 'BOOM' 'BOOM' 'BOOM'…

The flash bangs started going off, filling the whole place with a piercing white light. Mostly everyone inside the building was caught off guard, so when the agents breeched the warehouse, it was fairly easy to subdue and arrest each individual; all of whom were still fighting off the effects of the flash bangs.

The Ring agent who was stalling, and who appeared to be the leader, seemed to react quicker when he saw what was going on, so he took cover. Even with the cover, he still had to fight off the effects, but his were much less intense. When he got over the blurry vision and the severe ringing in his ears, he saw everyone being arrested and he bolted for the double doors that lead to the loading dock.

Chuck noticed someone running away and chased after him. Casey and Carina were both busy with Angel Luis and his men, so they didn't notice Chuck's absence.

When Chuck barged through the double doors of the loading dock he stopped and saw the guy darting between crates of what Chuck believed to be drugs. Chuck withdrew his Five-seveN from his back and began pursuit, yelling after the man.

"STOP OR I WILL SHOOT!"

The Ring agent just kept running so Chuck took aim, but when he had the guy in his sights, his Red Test flashed before his eyes and he dropped his gun like it had just burned him. He quickly shook himself out of his daze, picked up his Five-seveN, and fired the tranq gun. The dart flew through the air and hit the agent's back dead center and he collapsed with a loud 'thud.'

_He's not dead, he's not dead…_Chuck quickly made it over to the Ring agent and took his pulse to make sure. He let out a relieved breath and started dragging the guy back to where Casey and Carina were.

"Where the hell have you been Carmichael?!" Casey yelled while stomping over to Chuck and the unconscious Ring agent.

Carina just smiled and winked at him. "Nice work Chucky."

Chuck just shrugged, thanking God they weren't there to see him hesitate. "Well this guy will be out for about 30 minutes. When he wakes up, we got to find out what he knows about Shaw."

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**In route to Angel Luis' base of operations**

"Bryce, ETA is about 30 minutes!" Sarah was trying to be heard over the loud noise of the engine. "You ready!?"

Bryce, acting the complete opposite and hour ago, winked at her. "Of course!"

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Angel Luis' base of operations**

The Ring agent was in a daze when the effects of the tranq started wearing off. He began to mumble incoherently.

Carina slapped him hard on the face. 'WHACK!' "Wake up sleepy head."

"Fuck, what the hell is going on?!" the agent replied, now fully awake.

"What's your name?" Casey growled more than asked.

"Batman" the agent smirked.

"I see you more as a Joker…or maybe the Riddler!" Chuck had a huge smile on his face until he saw the glare from Casey. Chuck put on a semi-serious face as he hiked his right leg on a chair and lent on his knee with his right forearm. "So Bruce where is…"

Chuck stopped mid sentence since everyone started giving him half annoyed, half puzzled looks. "OH COME ON! Bruce…you know Bruce Wayne is Batman. Don't act like you guys don't know."

Casey growled. "Shut it Bar-…Carmichael!" He looked back at the agent cuffed to the chair. "Now Bruce…"

Chuck smirked.

"…where is Daniel Shaw?"

Bruce remained strong. "Who is this Shaw person you speak of?"

Casey threw a right hook that drew blood from Bruce's mouth.

Chuck flinched.

Just as Casey was about to throw another punch, he seemed to crack. "OK! OK!" He relaxed when he saw the Colonel drop his fist. "Daniel is back at our Ring base about an hour away from here."

"Why should we believe you?" Carina asked.

"Shoot me if I'm lying!" Bruce retorted.

'Humph' "Good enough for me" Casey grunted.

After Chuck input the coordinates Bruce gave them for the Ring base into Cortana, Casey handed the Ring agent off to one of the DEA agents for lockup. They would swing back and get Bruce later, but first they needed to go after Shaw.

They were on the road headed towards where Shaw was believed to be when Chuck piped up. "Does anyone else feel like this is a trap…I mean that guy gave up their headquarters awfully easily."

Carina turned around from the passenger seat and gave Chuck a huge smile. "Of course it is Chuckles, that's half the fun."

Chuck was wide eyed. "Oh boy!"

"Better be gun play."

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Angel Luis' base of operations**

When Sarah and Bryce arrived, they were somewhat surprised to see a slew of activity going on. There seemed to be police and DEA agents everywhere.

They got out of their jeep and Sarah walked over to one of the DEA agents. "What's going on here?"

The agent looked Sarah up and down and practically drooled. "And who might you be?"

Bryce interjected and practically shoved his badge in the guy's face. "CIA, now answer the lady."

The agent scowled at Bryce and turned back to Sarah. "DEA took down Angel Luis with the help of two NSA agents."

Sarah put on an innocent smile. "You wouldn't happen to know a Carina Miller would you?"

The DEA plastered on a seductive smile, or what he thought was seductive. "Yes actually. Agent Miller was in charge of this operation, but she left with the two NSA agents to pursue some top secret matters…I'm actually second in command…so maybe I could help you." He winked at her.

Sarah wanted to laugh. _Does he really think he's being charming? Who are these NSA agents and what could they want? _"Do you know the names of those agents or where they went off to?" She placed a hand on his arm.

Bryce was becoming really impatient. He wasn't bothered by the fact that Sarah was somewhat flirting with the guy, he actually condoned the idea. No…Bryce was bothered because it was taking too long and Sarah didn't seem to want to push it harder.

The agent seemed to glow once Sarah touched him. "I actually don't know where they went, they said it was need-to-know stuff…However, one of the guys name was, Casey I believe."

_Casey!_ Sarah was wondering if it was John Casey, and if he was here for the same reason she and Bryce were.

The DEA agent scratched his head. "Ummm…the other guys name started with a C too…Carman…Carter…Caramel…"

Sarah's heart started racing. _CARMICHAEL! _"CARMICHAEL!"

Both the agent and Bryce were shocked at her outburst.

"Uhhh…yeah, yeah that's it. Carmichael…Friend of yours?"

Sarah didn't answer. Her mind started racing a thousand miles a second. _It can't be! Did Chuck become an agent? How is that possible? He hated this life. Maybe it's another Carmichael…that's a common name, right? _

She broke out of her reverie and grabbed the agent by both arms. "Was his first name, Charles? Think real hard, what was his first name!?"

Bryce was dumbfounded. "Sarah that's impossible…"

She silenced him with an icy glare, and then turned her attention back to the DEA agent.

The guy Sarah was gripping started getting a little frightened at this point. "I uh d-d-don't kn-know…I'm s-sorry." He gave a sympathetic smile. _This woman is off her rocker!_

Sarah, seeing the effect she was having on the poor guy, let him go. "Sorry, I just…sorry." She sighed and gave him an apologetic smile. After the agent nodded in acceptance, she turned and started walking away.

Bryce caught up to her and turned her around. "Sarah, it's not…"

She cut him off. "Just drop it Bryce…What do we do now?"

"Let's go over every inch of this place and see if I flash."

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Low-level Ring Base**

Chuck, Carina, and Casey all had their guns drawn ready to enter, when Chuck suddenly held them up. He typed a couple of keys on Cortana, and through the satellite that Orion said was used for the wrist computer, Chuck brought up an overhead layout of the compound.

Something was strange when Chuck looked at the image though. Cortana was showing that there was only one heat signature in the entire building.

"Guys something is definitely wrong. There's only one person in the whole entire place…Whether it's Shaw or not, I don't know, but this has to be a trap."

Casey snorted. "It's just one guy Bartowski."

"Chuck, just open the door" Carina demanded. She wanted to take the whole place down, trap or not. Yes, what they were about to do was what she considered fun, but she knew this collar would definitely further her career.

Chuck sighed and typed a sequence in Cortana. The door that required a code to open it, unlocked.

He turned back around to discuss the situation some more. "Guys…"

Before he could finish, Carina swung the door open and ran inside.

"Carina!" Chuck hissed.

"What do you expect Bartowski?" He shouldered Chuck out of the way and went through the door. "It's just how she is."

* * *

**Location Unknown**

Daniel Shaw was downright giddy. He was finally going to have his revenge on that Walker bitch who killed his Evelyn. He picked up the weird looking phone the Ring gave him and dialed the number of the agent who was stationed at the Ring base in Mexico.

"Is it done, did you capture her and her partner?"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

His left hand clenched into a fist. "What do you mean she and that idiot Larkin are not there!"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"Who the hell is there than!?"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"How did you screw this up!?" He brought the phone down and was about to throw it to the ground to smash it, when he stopped half-way and took a breath.

He placed the phone back to his ear, and just like every villain cliché, he explained the plan he worked so hard on in a chilling yet oddly calm tone. "We gave them false information back at Colorado that I would be meeting Luis. They were supposed to storm that meeting and take a prisoner. That prisoner was supposed to lead him to where you are, and you were supposed to trap them."

The longer he talked, the angrier he got. "And you're telling me that somehow, it's not team Intersect that's there, it's some unknown group!"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

Shaw's blood was basically boiling at this point, but he gritted his teeth and spewed out his order. "You know what, change of plans…Instead of using the trap to capture Walker and Larkin to bring them in; capture this new team and just blow up the entire compound with them in it."

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"YES I'M SURE!" "JUST DO IT!"

Shaw hung up the phone and slammed it down on his desk. _Your time is coming Walker. Oh you'll pay alright!  
_

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Angel Luis' base of operations**

Bryce seemed to flash on a number of things, but not one thing seemed to be leading them to where Daniel Shaw was. Sarah and Bryce questioned every Ring agent there, but they were all remaining silent. It wasn't until they got to Bruce that they thought they found something useful.

"Do you know where we can find Daniel Shaw?" Sarah asked.

Bruce was wondering who else would be looking for Shaw. "Yeah, and who are you guys supposed to be?"

Bryce was hoping if they played nice, that they could get somewhere. He took out his badge. "Agents Larkin and Walker, CIA." He put his badge back in his pocket. "We can protect you if you need it."

Bruce was mortified. _This is Walker and Larkin!? Who the hell did I send to the compound then? _"You're Sarah Walker?"

"You've heard of me?" Sarah was intrigued.

"Oh, yeah…You're kind of famous." He smiled shyly pretending to be embarrassed.

Bryce gave Sarah a look, and she knew what he wanted her to do. She just rolled her eyes and put on an innocent smile. "If you tell us where Shaw is, I can try to help you out of this situation." She flipped her golden hair over her shoulder.

Bruce smiled back at her making them believe it was working. "Alright…Shaw is at the Ring base about an hour from here. If you hurry you might be able to catch him."

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Low-level Ring Base**

Chuck and Casey caught up to Carina and made quick work of sweeping the building. The whole place seemed to be deserted of people and objects. Chuck checked the map on Cortana again and realized that the actual base was underground, and that the single heat signature had to be underground too.

Chuck followed the map until he found a hidden elevator shaft. He called over Casey and Carina, and when they arrived, he hit the button for down. The doors slid open, and with hesitancy, they all got in. The doors closed and they started their descent.

When the elevator started to slow, Casey pulled Chuck to the back and Carina and Casey stepped in front of him. Chuck realized that they were trying to protect him in case bullets started flying once the door opened. He felt touched by the gesture, but a part of him was annoyed that they thought he couldn't handle himself; especially Casey.

The doors opened and there was no one there. The heat source seemed to be in a big room at the end of the hallway. The three of them worked their way, quickly and efficiently, to the end of the hallway clearing each room they passed like they've been working together for years.

They got to the double doors that lead to the room at the end of the hall. Casey held up a fist and started ticking off fingers. When he got to three, they busted the doors open and entered, guns drawn.

The room was larger than Chuck realized. There were computers all along the walls to his left and right. In the middle of the room was a long table that Chuck thought was used for 'bad guy meetings'. At the far end of the room, there was what seemed to be another room in itself. There were a couple of steps leading up to the doorway, so the room was elevated by a couple feet. The walls surrounding the smaller room were see-through, and that room seemed to contain what Chuck thought to be the main computer since it was larger than any other computer in the whole place.

In that smaller room, they saw what was responsible for the heat signature. There was a man sitting in a chair in front of the huge computer, and he didn't seem to notice that he wasn't alone since he continued typing away.

Carina thought the man to be Daniel Shaw, so she started to run towards the man to try to apprehend him. Chuck was surprised because even though Carina was running, she wasn't making a single sound. If Chuck wasn't actually seeing Carina move, he would've thought she was still beside him.

Casey and Chuck went after her, but they went at a slower pace so they wouldn't make any sounds themselves.

Once Carina went up the steps and crossed the doorway, she heard a distinct swooshing sound behind her. She spun around and was shocked. There wasn't any door in the doorway before, but once she crossed it, there now was a see-through panel, made up of the same materials as the walls surrounding the small room, blocking the doorway.

Once the panel closed shut and Carina had her back to the man, the guy used the opportunity to make his escape. He was upset that only one person got trapped, but he thought the new plan would still work. He exited through a door a couple feet away from him. He had to type in a key code to get the door open, and once he shut it, he entered another code to lock it down.

Carina turned back around and was disgusted that she let herself be distracted and let the guy get away. She ran to the only other door in the room and tried to open it, but it was no use. The door the guy escaped from was the only thing that wasn't see-through, and it was made of pure steel, making it impossible to bust through.

Chuck and Casey ran up the steps and started banging the see-through panel blocking their way in. Casey decided he was going to shoot his way in.

"Get back Chuck!" Casey took aim with his M16 Viper and unloaded his entire clip, but it didn't make a dent.

Just then, the main computer's screen blacked out and showed a countdown of 5 minutes with the words 'Compound self-destruction sequence ACTIVATED' underneath the clock.

Carina walked over to them with a solemn look on her face. "I guess this is goodbye." She forced a dry chuckle.

"Don't be ridiculous Carina, were not leaving you." Chuck responded with so much bravado, he surprised himself.

Carina's expression took one of anger. "DON'T BE STUPID CHUCK, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE, THERE'S NO TIME!" She slammed her fist against the panel. "GO, SAVE YOURSELVES YOU IDIOTS AND KILL THE BASTARD WHO DID THIS TO ME!" A tear started to streak down her cheek.

The countdown was now at 3 minutes and 50 seconds.

Chuck got an idea. "Maybe I can hack their system and disengage the self-destruct mode."

Casey was starting to get anxious. "Then do it Bartowski!"

Chuck ran over to one of the computers in the room and started typing away on Cortana, trying to get access to the whole compound.

"Forget it, there isn't much time, just go!"

He heard Carina yelling and turned around and saw that the countdown now read 2 minutes 30 seconds. He turned back around and continued typing but was suddenly jerked back by his vest.

Casey was dragging Chuck towards the elevator. "We've got to move Chuck or we're not going to escape the blast!"

Chuck was basically stumbling backwards, unable to get a hold of his balance. "What about Carina, we can't leave her!"

"It's alright Chuck, just get out of here!" Carina yelled.

No matter what Casey felt towards Carina, he didn't want to leave her, but he felt they had no other choice. He dragged Chuck to the elevator and hit the up button and waited for the doors to open.

Chuck was furiously typing all kinds of keys. _Just got to get through one last firewall!_

The doors of the elevator opened and Casey shoved Chuck inside.

The countdown was now at 45 seconds.

The elevator doors started to close.

_I GOT IT! _Chuck couldn't take the chance that Casey might refuse, so he turned and punched Casey right in the jaw resulting in the Colonel stumbling back. Chuck slipped through the doors as it closed behind him and the elevator started its ascent.

Carina was floored as she watched Chuck punch Casey and started running towards her. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

The countdown read 23 seconds.

Chuck ignored her and kept using Cortana to try to disarm the countdown.

The countdown now read 15 seconds.

"I think I might be able to…"

Carina laughed. "You think!?"

9 seconds…

7 seconds…

"This should do it!"

Chuck hit one last button on Cortana and the countdown stopped at 3 seconds.

Tears of relief started running down Carina's cheeks. "YOU DID IT!"

Chuck smiled, but that was quickly replaced with a frown as he looked at the main computer.

"What?" Carina turned around and saw that the countdown wasn't stopped but had just reset back to 5 minutes, and was now counting back down again. She turned back towards Chuck. "I'm gonna kill you when I get out of here!"

Chuck held up both of his hands towards her. "Relax, relax." He started working on Cortana again. "I must have mixed something up…but no worries, I've hacked into their system, so now…" He pressed a button and the panel blocking the doorway retreated back up.

Even though the walls were see-through, Carina still felt like she was in a prison. The feeling she felt when she saw that panel slide up, revealing a place to exit; she thought that was the greatest feeling in the world…Well, maybe not better than sex, but just as good.

Carina leapt into Chuck's arms and practically squeezed him like Ellie seemed to always do.

The elevator came back down, and when the doors opened, Casey was still there. "HURRY UP YOU TWO LOVEBRIDS!"

'Humph'_ The kid actually did it…maybe I won't kill him for decking me after all._

The countdown read 3 minutes and 50 seconds.

Chuck peeled Carina off of him, took hold of her hand, and they both ran to the elevator.

On the way up Chuck thought he should say something. "Casey I'm so…"

"Don't mention it Bartowski, I get it…But if you ever do that again, I swear I'll kill you myself." Casey growled to drive the point home.

"Touch him and die Casey." Carina winked at Chuck.

"Great, you replace Walker with Miller I see…" Casey knew the minute it left his mouth, he made a mistake. _Shit!_

Chuck showed no emotion, he just continued looking forward like he hadn't heard a thing. Carina glared at Casey.

The elevator reached the top and they got the hell out of that place and into their LR4. Casey drove away as fast as he could; the three of them taking occasional glances back to see the extent of the explosion.

…5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

The base lit up like the fourth of July with fire and smoke shooting up towards the heavens. Carina was in the back seat with Chuck, and when the building went up in flames, she crushed his hand in hers. Chuck looked over at her and smiled, not one of desire, but of friendship. Carina reciprocated the smile ten-fold.

* * *

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Low-level Ring Base**

Sarah and Bryce were almost at the base, when they noticed thick, black smoke drifting along the sky. When they finally arrived, there was barely anything there. The blast radius seemed to extend a few hundred feet around the compound. Anything that was caught in the blast was turned to ash. The trees within the radius of the explosion were all burned down and the ground was covered in black soot.

They didn't know what to make of what they saw. Apparently, someone else got there first and decided to burn the place to the ground. They wondered if Shaw was captured, had escaped, or burned to death in the fire.

Sarah was convinced that Chuck could've never done something like this. But somewhere, deep down, in the pit of her soul, she felt she had just missed Chuck.

* * *

**February 2010**

**Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**

**Hotel Barceló Puerto Vallarta**

Once they got back to Carina's suite, Chuck created a secure line and brought up the General for a video conference on the flat screen TV in the living room which had a built in webcam.

The General's face appeared and she got straight to the point. "Report."

Casey stepped forward and spoke up first. "Ma'am, we were able to take down Angel Luis' drug operation and apprehended a handful of Ring agents in the process. One of the agents we questioned gave up the location of the small Ring outfit's base here, and we were able to destroy it."

The General was a bit taken aback. "You destroyed the whole compound…were there any survivors Colonel?"

Carina stepped up and took over the briefing. "Ma'am, there was only one person in the whole place. We believed it to be a high ranking Ring agent named Daniel Shaw."

The General quirked her brow. "Did you say Daniel Shaw?"

"Yes General." Casey replied. "Do you know him?"

"Yes, he was a CIA agent who, for unknown reasons, defected to the Ring. We actually have Team…" The General took a quick glance at Chuck and Carina. "…Another team working on finding him. We believe once we apprehend him, the knowledge he has on the Ring would be priceless."

Carina continued the briefing. "Unfortunately, we didn't capture and identify the man there…Despite several warnings by Agent Carmichael of a trap, I stormed in to try to capture the man…I must have tripped an alarm because I was trapped in a room and a self-destruct sequence was initiated…"

Chuck stepped up. "It was all our faults General."

Casey grunted and nodded in acknowledgement.

The General pondered for a second. "Despite letting that unidentified male escape, the mission was a success." The General gave the three of them an approving nod and switched her gaze too just Casey. "Colonel, this mission is considered complete….What is your assessment of Agent Carmichael?"

Casey opened his mouth to respond, but Carina interrupted him. "Ma'am, if I may?"

Beckman nodded.

Carina took the cue to continue. "Agent Carmichael is one of the best agents I've ever worked with…He saved my life, when he didn't have to. He knows how to handle himself, and he's quick on his feet…I would be honored to have a partner such as him."

Chuck was speechless.

Casey decided to give his assessment. "I have to agree ma'am. Agent Carmichael was professional, and stayed calm in the face of adversity. He had a chance to save his own skin and run, but he had the presence of mind to defuse the situation and save his whole team…He's ready."

Chuck fainted, more for dramatic effect than shock.

Casey growled, Carina laughed, and even the General cracked an amused smile.

Chuck got back up. "What happened…I just dreamt that Casey said something nice about me!"

"Bartowski!" Casey growled.

The General decided to get back to business. "I'm impressed Agent Carmichael. It seems you have won over Colonel Casey and Agent Miller…I'm impressed with all of you." She looked at Carina. "I hope you don't mind Agent Miller, but I talked to your supervisor, I've gotten him to agree to loan you out to the NSA long term. This team needs a female agent, and with what you three accomplished in the past few days, I think you would be a great fit…It's your decision however."

Carina had a stoic expression on the outside, but on the inside she was jumping with joy. _This will definitely help my career!_ She cocked her head to the right slightly and glanced at Chuck who must have noticed because he started to smile. _Working with Chuckles might actually be fun. _

Carina cleared her throat. "It would be my honor ma'am."

* * *

**February 2010**

**Location Unknown**

Shaw walked down the hallway of the main Ring headquarters and knocked on the door at the end of the hall.

"Come in."

"You wanted to see me Director?"

"Ahhh yes, Danny boy…Please have a seat."

Shaw walked into the room and took a seat across the desk of the Ring Director.

"So, is everything I've been hearing about what happened in Mexico true?"

"Yes Director." Daniel couldn't believe he had to answer to a toad like the Director, but he did need the Ring to serve out his purpose.

"Let me get this straight." The Director clasped his hands on his desk. "You sacrificed a number of our agents…You blew up our base down in Mexico…You eliminated our funding down there, by getting Angel Luis imprisoned…And for all of this, you don't even have the Intersect…Is that correct?"

All Daniel could say was "Yes Director." _No one talks to me like this! I'm going to enjoy killing you once I kill Walker._

"Are you a bloody twit!?" Anger evident in the Director's tone. "We gave you the identity of the person who killed your wife. We opened our arms and let you use our resources and control our agents. All we asked in return was for you to deliver the bloody Intersect!"

Shaw was restraining himself from leaping across the desk and strangling the man. "I just need a little more time. I promise I can deliver Larkin to you…I already have another plan in the works."

The Director sighed. The ring really had no better option at the moment than Shaw using himself to draw out Larkin. "Fine, but if this goes south one more time..." The Director just let his threat hang in the air.

"We still have a deal right?" At that moment, Shaw almost had a hint of desperation showing in his eyes. "If I give you the Intersect, I get Walker?"

The Director shook his head. "Yes, yes…you give us what we want, and you can do whatever you want with your wife's killer."

Daniel smirked. _I will.  
_

* * *

**A/N (2): This was a beast of a chapter, but I hope it all flowed smoothly. To be honest, I'm expecting people to read it and think to themselves, "What kind of foolishness is this?" I know I did. **

**Any and all reviews are appreciated though LOL.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wow! I can't believe that I've reached at least 50 reviews...When I actually got the courage to post the first chapter of this, I thought when the story was done I would have 10 reviews. Not 10 reviews per chapter mind you, 10 reviews TOTAL! Can't thank everyone enough for all their support. I know this is greedy, but can we get to 75?**

**Special thanks to my betas JennyStone and uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 5**

**April 2010**

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Team Bartowski sat around the conference table down in their new castle that was built under the building of their new cover job; Carmichael Industries. Casey and Carina were itching for a new mission, but Chuck probably had the biggest hankering for some action.

The General came down the steps and stood at the edge of the table directly in front of her three agents. If Chuck didn't know better, it actually looked like she was upset.

The General sighed. "Team…We have gathered some information that leads us to believe with the recent malfunctions of the Intersect, that Team Intersect has gone rouge."

Both Casey and Carina yelled at once. "What!"

Chuck just smirked. "Of course they've gone rogue. Bryce could never handle the Intersect, and Sarah…Well, she is in love with Bryce."

Carina couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What the hell is wrong with you Chuck!?"

Chuck ignored Carina's outcry and turned to the General. "What are our orders ma'am?"

"Terminate Team Intersect."

Both Carina and Casey stood up from their chairs.

Carina was shaking her head rather vigorously. "I won't do it!"

Casey slammed his right fist into the table. "Neither will I!"

Chuck couldn't believe how unprofessional his team was acting right now. "I guess I'm on my own with this one."

They all stared at Chuck like he was an alien. No one in that room could recognize who Chuck was anymore, not even himself.

It took Chuck a week to track down Bryce and Sarah. He would have found them sooner, but his team abandoned him. Team Intersect had been hiding in a cabin located deep inside a Boreal forest, several miles from Fairfield, Alaska.

Chuck crept up to the front door and when he got there he withdrew his Smith & Wesson Series V. He kicked the door in and was actually surprised at what he found. There, lying on a bed was Bryce with what seemed like a cold compress on his forehead. By his side was Sarah, holding his hand, and what was worst was the fact that she had tear streaks all along her face; indicating that she had been crying.

Chuck took a few steps inside the cabin and pointed his gun at Bryce. Sarah, finally sensing Chuck's presence, snapped her head towards him and peered into his eyes.

Sarah apparently didn't like what she saw because she started to sob; releasing a whole new set of tears down her face. Through her sobs, she asked "What have they turned you into?"

Chuck ignored her question and countered with one of his own. "Why did you leave?"

Suddenly, Sarah's tears seemed to disappear. She stood up and started walking towards the door. "Because, you were never good enough."

Sarah left the cabin, but Chuck dismissed it. He could always track her down after this. Chuck turned back to look at his target, but when he laid his eyes upon the man on the bed, it wasn't Bryce. Chuck shook his head, trying to convince himself that this all had to be a nightmare. The person who was now on the bed was Patrick Tate, the man Chuck killed for his Red Test.

Tate was completely still, a pool of blood soaking through his white shirt.

Chuck looked down at his hands and was horrified to see them covered in blood. When he lifted his head back up, he wasn't in the cabin in Alaska anymore. Chuck was now back in Newport, Rhode Island, in the alley where he killed Tate.

He turned around and Sarah was there, standing only a couple of feet away from him.

"Sarah, I think I'm losing my mind, what's going on?"

"You're a killer Chuck."

Sarah withdrew her Smith & Wesson Model 5906 and fired at Chuck.

'BANG'

* * *

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Chuck shot upright drenched in sweat.

Carina was at his side in an instant. "Chuck it was just a nightmare." She tried to place her hand on his face but he flinched.

"It was just so real…"

Carina sat next to him on the bed, trying her best to reassure him. "It was just a dream…you're ok."

He raked his hand over his face and he took in his surroundings. _OK, I'm at home, in bed…and Carina is here?_

"What are you doing here Carina?"

She gave a devilish smile. "What, and pass up you, shirtless, and covered in sweat. I don't think so."

He shook his head, his brown curls bouncing every which way. "I swear, one of these days, you're actually going to give me a stroke."

She got off his bed and pulled him up. "Come on and make me breakfast already before Agent Andrews gets here." Carina's tone was slightly apprehensive.

Her response put a knowing smirk on his face. "Oh, so that's why you're here, you're jealous of Tiffany."

She rolled her eyes. "In your dreams Chuckles…I'm just making sure Andrews knows that you're my property."

Chuck laughed. "I'll get started on those banana pancakes for you."

Ever since Chuck saved Carina in Mexico, they've gotten quite close. Carina still flirts like crazy, but Chuck had made it perfectly clear that they were nothing more than friends.

* * *

_**One Month Earlier**_

After the Puerto Vallarta mission, the General approved Chuck for field work. Diane decided to station the team in LA since both Chuck and Casey had already established covers there. Beckman promised, by the time the team landed in LA, the building for their cover job, including an advanced version of Castle underneath, would be ready.

When Chuck called home to tell everybody he was coming back, there was a lot of crying going on; and that was just from Morgan. When he talked to Ellie, Chuck could have sworn he blew out his eardrum with how high the frequency was on his sister's squeal.

The cover story they concocted was that when Chuck and Casey finished their training for the software company, Chuck impressed everybody with his knowledge of electronics so much, that he was instantly promoted to a managerial position in their LA branch. Chuck would be in charge of Carmichael Industries down in LA while Casey worked under him. Chuck ran into Carina back east and found out she was looking for a job, so he hired her as his assistant.

* * *

When the plane touchdowned at LAX; Ellie, Devon, and Morgan were all there to welcome Team Bartowski. Ellie of course started crying and didn't seem to want to break her hold on Chuck. After greeting his best friend, Morgan seemed too busy trying to get Carina to remember his name wasn't Martin.

During the drive back to Casa Bartowski, the Woodcombs explained how they moved into the adjacent apartment. Ellie and Devon decided that since they were married, and Chuck was moving back, they needed their own place. With his new job as Assistant Manager for the Buy More, Morgan moved into their old apartment. Now both Chuck and Morgan were more than capable of affording the place.

Chuck couldn't believe his luck. Not living under the same roof as Ellie would make it a lot easier for his 'real' job. True, she would just be living next door, but it was better than nothing.

When they got to the apartment complex, Ellie practically forced John and Carina to stay for dinner. Ellie was so excited to have her brother back; she was going to whip up a huge feast for a welcome back/house warming dinner.

* * *

The six of them all sat down, ready to inhale the bounty in front of them, when a knock came at the door. Chuck, Carina, and Casey all exchanged glances, and Carina got up to get the door; much to the confusion of the three civilians in the room.

Carina walked to the door and cautiously peered through the spyhole. She knew she probably should have been more careful, but her curiosity got the best of her and she whipped the door open.

"Carina, who is it?" Chuck called from the dinner table.

The visitor pushed past Carina and stepped inside. With the person's back fully exposed to Carina, Carina reached for her gun in the small of her back, just in case the visitor tried something.

"Hi Chuck."

"Tiffany…wha- what are you doing here?"

Tiffany gave a dejected smile. "Not happy to see me?"

Casey slapped his palm to his forehead and shook his head. "Chuck me."

* * *

Chuck and Tiffany were seated at the fountain so they could talk in private; away from his nosy sister. Hell, nosy spies for that matter.

There was a bit of an awkward silence till Chuck decided to be the first to fall on his sword.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you…" He gave her his patented Bartowski smile. "…but what are you doing here, and how did you find me for that matter?"

Tiffany's cheeks were slightly rosy, but she hoped and prayed that the darkness of night covered it up.

"I missed you…and I may know some people, who know some people, who know some pretty important people."

That seemed to ease the tension and it caused them to start laughing. Once the laughter died down, Chuck started up again.

"We'll I'm glad you're here, it's always good to have friends around…How long are you staying?"

Tiffany instantly found her nails to be fascinating. "Well umm…that depends on you."

Chuck laughed. "Well if it were up to me, I would have you stay here forever."

She quickly snapped her head towards him, bringing an all new form of blushing fits. _Damn you Chuck! How in the hell do you do this to me!? _

"Hah yeah…You see, I've known the General for awhile. That's kind of the reason why she chose me to be one of your instructors…I spoke with her and suggested to be placed on your team. Now I know I've retired from field duty…"

Chuck interrupted her. "Yeah, I've never understood that. You're what mid 30s? Why are you just an instructor?"

She blanched. "It's…Let's just say it's a long story, and that I wasn't cut out for it."

Chuck figuring something traumatic must have happened, placed his left hand on her back and started rubbing circles in hopes to soothe her.

Tiffany, feeling his hand on her back, inched closer to Chuck and leaned her head on his shoulder.

* * *

Inside Casa Bartowski/Grimes; Carina, Casey, Ellie, Devon, and Morgan were all huddled by the window near the door trying to see what Chuck and Tiffany were doing.

"Is that Chuck's new girlfriend?" Ellie questioned in disbelief.

"I don't trust her." Carina flat out stated.

'Humph'

Carina countered what she thought Casey's grunt meant. "I am not jealous!"

Everybody hissed at Carina. "Shhhhhh!"

* * *

Tiffany's head was still resting on Chuck's shoulder. "Do they think they're being sneaky?"

"Worst spies ever." Chuck answered. "Finish what you were going to say before I interrupted."

"Well I was just saying…Even though I'm not an active field agent, I can still be your team's liaison back here when you're out in the field. I mean I do know how this all works….Plus, even though you're an honorary NSA agent, I'm still your instructor and you have a lot to learn; and I can still kick your ass."

Chuck couldn't help but laugh.

"The General says if your team approves, she doesn't have a problem with it."

"Ahhh…So you want me to convince Casey and Carina?"

"Yes…does that mean you want me to stay?"

"I could always use more friends around, especially one like you." Chuck gave her a small squeeze.

"Hey Tiffany…"

"Uh-huh?"

"When you passed the…" _Why doesn't this feel right? _"…Never mind."

* * *

_**Present**_

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Carina and Chuck were eating their pancakes at the table with Carina moaning after every bite. Chuck was thankful Morgan had to go to work early being Assistant Manager and all, because if he was here while Carina ate her pancakes like she did, he would probably have a heart attack.

"OH GOD CHUCK, YOU TASTE SOOOOO GOOD!"

Chuck gave her an amused look.

"Oops, I mean the pancakes." Carina gave him an innocent smile.

He shook his head and continued eating. His memories of his nightmare started to take hold of his thoughts. He knew he had to talk to someone, and if Tiffany didn't feel like the one, maybe…

"Carina…how do you deal with all the…killing?" He didn't have the courage to meet her gaze.

"Killing? Is this about your nightmares?" Carina had a worried expression.

_Nope, still not right. Hmmm, maybe Cas…Yeah right! _Chuck gave a weak smile.

"Never mind"

"Chuck, you need to talk to someone."

Chuck opened his mouth to respond, but was saved by a knock at the door. He gave a victorious grin.

"This isn't over." Carina walked over to the door to answer it.

"If that's Tiffany, please be nice, she is on the team after all."

Carina twirled around before getting to the door. "I didn't say yes!"

Chuck shrugged and said "Majority rules" through a mouthful of pancakes.

Carina huffed and turned back around. After making sure it wasn't a threat, she opened the door to reveal Agent Tiffany Andrews wearing black tight sweatpants and a black sports bra.

"Agent Andrews"

"Agent Miller"

Chuck decided to join in. "Agent Carmichael!"

Carina glared at Chuck while Tiffany, who was still outside, just giggled.

Chuck gave Carina an apologetic smile. "Tiffany, come on in" he yelled from his seat.

Carina unwillingly moved aside and Tiffany stepped inside.

"Andrews, I thought you were going to meet Chuck at Castle to spar, why are you here?"

"I told Chuck we should just run there since its only 10 miles."

"And why are you here so early?"

Tiffany scoffs. "Why are you?"

Carina put on a mischievous smile. "I slept with Chuckles last night."

Tiffany's eyes bulged out and Chuck choked on the food he was trying to swallow.

After quite a coughing fit, Chuck tried to defuse the situation. "We didn't!" It wasn't his best efforts.

Chuck looked at his phone. "I wasn't expecting you for another 20 minutes. Just let me get ready and we can go." Chuck quickly finished his food and placed the dishes in the sink. After giving them a quick rinse, he walked into his room to get ready.

Once Chuck's door closed, Carina started up.

"He's taken…go find another guy half your age to seduce."

Tiffany rolled her eyes. "He's taken by who…you?"

"No, but by my friend…who can definitely kick your ass."

"Oh, you mean the idiot who left him and broke his heart?"

Carina glared daggers at Tiffany who gave an exasperated sigh.

"Look…Do I like Chuck…yes…and if he ever wants more than friendship from me, I'm definitely going to jump his bones…"

Carina tried not to smile. _This cougar definitely has style, I'll give her that._

"…but he's made it clear, we're just friends, and I respect his decision…I may do some innocent flirting, but I'm not going to push."

Carina was satisfied with her answer. "Good."

Tiffany stared straight into Carina's eyes to make sure she got her next point across. "If I ever see your friend, I'm going to kick her ass for hurting him."

Carina mumbled "Get in line."

After a few more minutes, Chuck finally came out of his room. He was wearing dark grey sweat pants and a maroon hoodie. He didn't bring along any weapons, but he always had Cortana strapped to his left arm whenever he went anywhere; just in case.

Chuck felt the tension in the room. "You guys alright?" He slowly asked while rubbing his eyes, which made his eyes redder.

A little too quickly, they both replied with a "Fine!"

He shrugged and made a beeline for the bathroom.

* * *

_**5 minutes ago**_

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

**Chuck's room**

Chuck usually didn't take so long to dress up, unless it was for a date of course. He was just going on a run with Tiffany to Castle, and there they would get some light sparring in. No, he knew what to wear, but clothes weren't the problem, not directly anyway.

When Chuck went to get his sweat pants out of one of his drawers, he felt it. It was hard and it felt heavy. And there he was, sitting on the edge of his bed; not being able to rip his eyes away from it.

A tear started to run down his cheek.

Chuck knew he needed to get out there to avoid suspicion so he threw the picture frame containing a picture of Sarah and himself on his bed, quickly got dressed, and headed out to the girls.

* * *

**Virginia **

**Sarah Walker's Condo**

As is her nightly ritual whenever she wasn't on a mission, Sarah sat on her bed in the shirt she stole from Chuck, playing with the bracelet he had given her for Christmas.

She had an early day tomorrow with Bryce. She was going over to his apartment to go over some files on the Ring to see if they could grab another lead. Even with her gut telling her that something was wrong with Bryce, she couldn't seem to bring herself to care at this moment.

Sarah got up and padded over to her suitcase. She rifled through one of the pockets and pulled an object out. She walked back to her bed and laid down; staring up at the ceiling, both hands holding the object to her chest. She brought the object a couple inches to her face and unfolded it. She lay there, staring at a crumpled up photo of Chuck and herself.

A tear escaped her and she brought the photo closer to her face and grazed her lips over the image of Chuck. She whispered to the picture "It's been a year since the biggest mistake of my life."

"Maybe I should contact him." She wondered out loud.

Her subconscious immediately kicked in. _And Say what exactly? Hey Chuck, I know you're a civilian now, and even though it looks like I chose Bryce over you I didn't. Instead, I left because my duty comes first; I thought it would be safer for you, and I'm terrified of having an actual relationship with you._

"I could just say hi…and now I'm actually lying in bed arguing with myself."

_Chuck would probably laugh at the fact that he can make me this crazy. _

She thought of Chuck laughing and giving her his trade mark smile. For the first time that night, Sarah Walker actually smiled.

* * *

**April 2010**

**Virginia**

**Bryce Larkin's Apartment**

Sarah and Bryce sat at opposite ends of the kitchen table in silence. There were folders and papers scattered on top, and they had to go through every piece.

Sarah lifted her right arm to take a sip of her coffee. The sunlight seeping through the blinds reflected off of a shiny object, and blinded Bryce for a split second.

"Sarah, I've never seen you wear that bracelet before, where'd you get it?"

She stiffened and glanced at one of the most important objects in her life, hanging from her wrist.

* * *

The night prior, she went to bed wearing the bracelet as she always did, but instead of having a dreamless night and waking up early, she had a dream about Chuck. Sarah dreamt she was snuggled up to Chuck in bed. Chuck all of a sudden moved Sarah off of him and positioned himself where he was now hovering over her. He attacked her lips with a passionate kiss that left the two of them breathless. Chuck than proceeded to kiss along Sarah's jawline and down her neck while his hands explored her body.

Needless to say, Sarah woke up feeling her whole body was on fire. She looked at the clock and saw she was expected to be at Bryce's, 10 minutes ago. She took a quick shower, a cold one, got dressed, and left without even realizing she hadn't taken the bracelet off.

* * *

"It's just something from a previous mission Bryce." She went back to work, obviously not willing to explain any further.

Bryce didn't believe her, but he brushed it off and went back to work too.

After a couple of minutes, Bryce found a promising file and he experienced an intense flash. The flash seemed to go on for hours when it was in fact only seconds. The pain was starting to become unbearable as both his hands flew to his head. He gritted his teeth, trying his hardest not to scream in agony.

Sarah saw what was happening, but if she only knew how bad it truly was.

The more Bryce flashed, not only did the pain increase, but his brain was being damaged little by little in the process; making it harder to connect all the information together. Every time a flash overtakes him, when he pulls up information from the Intersect, the info is increasingly coming up with missing data, and it's getting harder and harder for him to apprehend all the information; leading to false intel.

"Bryce I think we need to get you…"

"I'm fine!"

"You're obviously not. The more you flash; it seems the more pain you're in…When Chuck had the Intersect…"

Bryce dropped his hands, his pain all but forgotten. "I'm not Chuck…I deserve the Intersect, I'm an actual trained agent, not some loser civilian."

"What the hell is wrong with you, he's your friend!"

Bryce mumbled under his breath, "Some friend."

Unfortunately for Bryce, Sarah heard what he said. "What's that suppose to mean!?"

"Oh come on Sarah, you're in love with him…You were mine first, and then here comes Chuck, and he steals you away from me! What kind of friend does that!?"

Sarah was appalled. "Something is clearly wrong…you're not acting like yourself Bry…"

He interrupted her. "You're the one who's changed Sarah; falling for an asset...You should just leave."

"Bryce…"

"GET OUT!"

Sarah didn't know how to help him. She knew Bryce and how proud, even borderline arrogant, he was at times. There was a slim chance that he would admit something might be wrong in the first place. Not knowing what to do at the moment, she just got up and left.

* * *

**Virginia **

**Sarah Walker's Condo**

The moment Sarah entered her condo; she walked over to her TV. After entering a code and passing the retinal scanner that was in the panel to the right of the mounted flat screen, she connected a video conference call to one General Diane Beckman.

Beckman's head quickly snapped to attention. "Agent Walker, I wasn't expecting a call from you so soon. What intel have you found?"

"General, this is not about the reports you gave us to look over…We need to talk about the Intersect."

* * *

**A/N (2): I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope it shows. Hopefully for the better hah. **

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Arya's prayers is my 75****th**** reviewer! You guys spoil me way too much with all these reviews. But please keep spoiling me, thanks LOL. Now that I got to 75…next stop 100?...I don't really know what to do for you guys. So let's just do this. If you want, send me a PM telling me what kind of Chuck, one-shot or story you want me to write for you; or if you want me to stop writing all together because you can't take it anymore. I'll pick the one that intrigues me the most and try my hand at writing it for that person. **

**Special thanks to my betas JennyStone and uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 6**

**April 2010**

**Virginia **

**Sarah Walker's Condo**

"General, this is not about the reports you gave us to look over…We need to talk about the Intersect."

At the mention of the Intersect, Beckman was instantly on edge.

"Has something happened to the Intersect?"

"Ma'am, Agent Larkin has been experiencing some severe headaches lately, along with several personality disorders."

Diane sighed. "Agent Walker, I have discussed the side effects of the 2.0 with the scientists at length. I can assure you that some slight headaches and mood swings are perfectly normal."

"General, you don't understand. I've been observing Agent Larkin, for some time now, and I can assure you that something is most definitely wrong…When Chuck had the Intersect…"

"You mean Mr. Bartowski?"

Sarah was getting frustrated. "Yes…When Mr. Bartowski had it, nothing as severe as what is happening now, happened to Chuck."

"Well, Mr. Bartowski was a special case…" Beckman actually cracked a smile. She still had trouble believing he was an actual agent, and a damn good one at that. "…Plus, 2.0 is much more complex than the original Intersect. And the scientists have assured me that until Agent Larkin can no longer comprehend all the intel in the Intersect, and incorporate the data together, there is nothing to be alarmed about…Has Agent Larkin been misinterpreting information and giving false intel?"

"No General, but…"

Beckman had no intentions of hearing the rest of Sarah's concerns. "Agent Walker, I understand that you've become close to the Intersect, just like you did back in Burbank…"

Sarah shot the General an icy glare that didn't seem to faze Diane in the slightest.

"…and even though I should have you reassigned for becoming compromised, both now and when Agent Carmichael was the Intersect, your past successes with the Intersect has me believing that that might not be such a good idea…But don't push your luck."

Sarah quickly became cognizant. "I'm sorry General, but don't you mean Mr. Bartowski, not Agent Carmichael?"

The General, who usually has a statuesque appearance on video calls, shifted in her seat.

"Yes…I-If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Batowski's cover was Agent Carmichael…was it not?"

Sarah continued to stare at Beckman, trying to get a read on her, but she finally dismissed the slip up, figuring that that was all it was, after several seconds.

"Yes General."

Diane relaxed her posture ever so slightly, as to not give away her feeling of relief. "Now, if we are done discussing your personal feelings…"

Sarah nodded, a slight annoyed look spread across her face.

"…There is a mission that seems to need the services of Team Intersect."

"What do we need to do General?"

Seeing how she had Agent Walker's full attention, she continued. "The Ring has been getting desperate ever since we managed to cut off their funding down in Mexico. Through some chatter we picked up, there seems to be a party taking place in Paris in hopes of expanding their financial contacts. You and Agent Larkin are to pose as a married couple and as potential investors. The party is in a week; however, I want you two to arrive there early to see if Agent Larkin can flash on anything of importance."

"Is that all General?"

"Daniel Shaw will be at attendance for this party. I want you and Agent Larkin to apprehend him, alive, at all costs. Is that understood?"

"Yes General."

"Very well, Good luck." And with that, Beckman disconnected the feed.

Sarah collapsed on her couch. Every time she had to go to Paris, she thought back to her Red Test. As she sat there, trying to build up enough resolve to get this mission started, she wished Chuck was going with her instead of Bryce.

* * *

**May 2010**

**Paris, France**

**Hotel de Crillon**

"Sarah, look it's been several days, how long are you planning on staying mad at me?"

Sarah turned her attention away from her suitcase to Bryce."I'm not mad Bryce."

"I know you Sarah…Ever since we had that conversation about Chuck back at my place; you've been more distant than usual."

"This is not about Chu-…You don't know me as well as you think." She turned back to her suitcase.

"Look, the party is a couple days away and it's important that we capture Shaw. We can't let our personal feelings towards each other complicate this mission."

Sarah clenched her fist. "The past is just that Bryce, the past. Let's just focus on the mission." She didn't even turn around to look at him as she spoke.

"That's all I'm asking for Sarah." Bryce tuned and exited the room of their suite, closing the double doors behind him.

As soon as the doors closed, a knife flew through the air and pierced the spot where Bryce's head was positioned a couple of seconds ago.

* * *

**May 2010**

**Paris, France**

Sarah and Bryce were parked in a car across the street from the mansion the party was to be held at. They were there in hopes that Bryce could flash on anyone who entered or exited the property. It had been about 20 minutes, when someone finally left the luxurious house.

"I got one Sarah."

Both Sarah and Bryce sank lower in their seats, reducing their profile to make it harder for them to be seen.

Bryce got a good look at the man's face and he flashed. The flash however seemed to be jumbled up. All Bryce got from the Intersect was some pictures of the guy, but he couldn't assimilate all the intel of the flash to determine if he was with the Ring. Hell, he couldn't tell you if he was an agent, a civilian, or some two bit criminal.

Bryce shook himself out of the flash and held his head; praying to whatever deity who was willing to listen, to make the pain go away.

Sarah sat in the driver's seat, lost in her thoughts and emotions, as she watched her partner rub his temples. True, most of what she was feeling was anger…ok, about 95% of what she felt was anger, but she was worried about Bryce too.

Sarah seemed to be angry with the world these days. She was angry with Bryce for being so stubborn. She was angry with the General for not taking her concerns about the Intersect seriously. She was angry with her nerd for invading her mind, body, and soul. And she was definitely angry with herself for feeling the way she did about one Charles Irving Bartowski.

She was so wrapped up in her own feelings; she started spacing out and hadn't noticed Bryce staring at her.

"Sarah did you hear me?"

She shook herself out of her musings. "Sorry who was that guy you flashed on?"

Bryce turned away and peered outside the window back towards the house; not willing to meet Sarah's gaze. He didn't want to admit to her that she might have been right, and that the Intersect, which he believed was meant for him, was malfunctioning.

"Oh, he's a nobody."

Sarah didn't think twice about questioning Bryce's intel, so she went back to reflecting about the curly headed man, with bottomless brown eyes and a dazzling smile, that she wished hadn't invaded her heart.

* * *

It was midnight when team Intersect returned to their suite. They staked out the mansion for hours, and Bryce flashed on several more people. After flashing on the first guy who left however, it got worse for him, and he couldn't make heads or tails of all the data that came with the other men he flashed on.

He knew something was wrong, but he was too arrogant and too proud to believe that he couldn't handle it himself. He decided to tell Sarah that each person that came and left the property, were of no importance.

With the party a few days away, Bryce pushed for the idea of breaking into the mansion the next night to see if they could gather any intel that might help. Sarah wanted to lay off and run surveillance till the day of the party, but Bryce kept reassuring her that the people he flashed on were of no consequence, and that it wouldn't be much of a risk. The more times he tried to convince Sarah, the more confident he felt that he was right about the people that triggered the Intersect.

* * *

It was midnight when Team Intersect entered the house. Both Sarah and Bryce were dressed in all black clothes, with black balaclavas over their faces. Since Bryce deemed the people inside the mansion to be a non-threat, they were dressed as thieves, just in case they were spotted.

Team Intersect worked their way through the house, not really finding anything of importance, till they got to a door that had a keypad to the side of it. Since Sarah couldn't just pick the lock, Bryce had to flash on it and get the password.

After he flashed, Bryce doubled over in pain; letting out a small groan in the process. He saw a bunch of numbers, but didn't know whether they were in the right order or not.

"Bryce you ok?" Sarah made sure to keep her voice low.

"Yeah, yeah…I'm fine."

After the pain subsided, he looked at the keypad again, and input the numbers he saw in his flash. He pressed enter and the keypad flashed red and the words, 'ACCESS DENIED', read across the screen. Sarah was too busy watching out for intruders to notice.

"Bryce hurry up."

"Hold on!" Bryce hissed.

He thought back to the flash and input the same numbers, but in a different order this time. The keypad again flashed read with the words, 'ACCESS DENIED', on the screen. Bryce was starting to lose his temper, and for a brief moment, the idea of shooting the keypad crossed his mind. He quickly tempered his anger and tried one more time to open the door.

Bryce took a deep breath and entered another sequence of the exact same numbers. The numbers Bryce entered gave the same result, but instead of, 'ACCESS DENIED', across the screen, it read, 'LOCKDOWN INITIATED'.

An alarm started ringing throughout the mansion.

"Bryce, what did you do!?"

"The Intersect must have had some old intel on this security system!"

They bolted towards the direction they came from, but before they could escape through the side door they entered from, they both collapsed onto the floor. Sarah was trying to fight the effects from what she determined to be a tranq as best she could, and before she lost consciousness, she activated the distress signal on her belt.

* * *

Sarah walked up to Chuck's apartment and took a minute to gather herself.

"You can do this." She said out loud.

Sarah knocked a couple times on the apartment door. She could hear footsteps getting louder. Her heart started beating incredibly faster and she could start to feel her palms moisten. She couldn't handle the waiting, and as she turned to make her escape, the door flew open. Sarah turned back around, and there, standing before her; was the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.

"Hi Chuck." Sarah tentatively greeted.

"Hi…Do I know you?"

Sarah was taken aback. "It's me…Sarah."

She saw the realization hit his face and it broke her heart that he had forgotten her.

"Oh, of course, Sarah!" Chuck took a step towards her, but instead of the hug that Sarah was anticipating, he just ushered her inside. "Come in, come in…"

"…So what brings you to Burbank?"

"I uh…I actually wanted to see you." Sarah's voice was shaky at best.

"Why?"

"Well, I'm not an agent anymore, and well I…well I missed you…I was hoping you would give us another chance."

Sarah's gaze fell to the floor, not wanting Chuck to see the neediness in her eyes.

"Sarah, I'm married."

Her head snapped up so fast, it was a surprise she didn't break something.

"You're what Chuck!?"

"Come on Sarah, you chose Bryce. What did you expect, I would pine for you forever and I would always be here when you're ready to finally be with me?"

"No, no, I didn't think that at all…and I didn't choose Bryce over you, it wasn't like that…I thought I was doing the right thing, and I was…afraid."

"Well it seems like your fear is the reason you lost me…I'm happily married now Sarah, and she's going to be home soon, so maybe you should leave."

Sarah ran to Chuck encircling her arms around him and she started sobbing into his chest.

"Please Chuck, I love you, don't give up on me…I need you."

"It's too late Sarah."

"NO! Don't say that. I'll try harder I promise…Please Chuck…I love you!"

* * *

Sarah jerked awake, panting heavily, and she felt the restraints against her wrists and ankles. After blinking a couple of times to clear the blurriness in her eyes, she noticed that the man Bryce first flashed on leaving the mansion was sitting on a metal table a couple of feet in front of her. She quickly assessed the situation and realized that she was chained to a chair that was bolted to the floor, in a plain white room with no windows and only one door, which had a keypad. To her right, Bryce was in the exact same position as Sarah, but unfortunately, he was still unconscious.

When she looked back at the man, he smirked at her.

"Who's Chuck?"

"What?" Sarah planned to stay silent, but she was completely thrown off by that question.

"You were moaning his name and breathing rather heavily." He gave her a hungry smile that was full of lust.

Sarah kept quite as she leered at the man.

The man laughed. "Well, must be some guy if he could get a woman like you hot and heavy and all."

He hopped off the table and made his way to Bryce. "Let's wake up Agent Larkin shall we?" The man lifted his arm and slapped Bryce across the face, causing him to groan in pain.

The guy walked back to the table and hopped back on. "Time to wake up Mr. Intersect."

Bryce started to come too, but was still a little groggy from the tranquilizer.

"What, what's going on, and who are you?"

The man seemed a little shocked by the question, but it quickly passed. "Don't play dumb Mr. Larkin. It's unbecoming of an agent such as yourself."

Sarah put it all together and quickly had all her suspicions answered. It was no coincidence that the man before them was also at the place where the party for the Ring was being held. Add in the facts that he knew they were agents and he knew about the Intersect; she definitely pegged the man as Ring.

Bryce looked to his left and saw Sarah chained to her chair. When he lifted his eyes towards Sarah's face, he saw her mouth the word 'Ring'.

The Ring agent caught sight of what Sarah did and smiled.

"Agent Walker is correct, but you already knew I was Ring, with you being the Intersect and all…Now, before I report back to my boss, tell me, why was team Intersect so early?"

Both Sarah and Bryce were confused by the question, but stayed silent.

The agent continued. "I mean, we put out word that Shaw was going to be at the party, so we figured you would show up then…We never expected you two to be stupid enough to break into a house filled with Ring agents. But hey, to each is their own I guess."

The man hopped back off the table and walked over to the door, making sure his 5'10'', husky body, covered the view of the keypad as he typed in the code.

When the door shut, Sarah and Bryce both tried freeing themselves from their shackles.

"What the hell Bryce, you made us break into a house full of Ring agents…And why in the hell did you tell me they weren't a threat!?"

"The Intersect didn't show that they were Ring. It must be out of date data or something!"

Sarah couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Bryce I talked to Beckman about the problems with the Intersect and…"

"Why the hell did you do that!?" He was infuriated that Sarah would betray him like that.

"Bryce, the Intersect is malfunctioning, and it's been affecting you lately."

"I'm telling you I'm fine."

"Look at what's been going on…aside from the fact that you've been acting like more of an asshole than usual; you've been in so much pain after every flash. And now, you seem to be misinterpreting the information the Intersect gives you."

Bryce was still too hurt and angry to see reason, so he deflected. "Can we just focus on getting the hell out of here!?"

Sarah relented, because she really did need to focus on the situation at hand.

"This isn't over…"

Sarah had a little leeway with the chains, so she started checking herself out. For an instant she felt dejected before she remembered something. There weren't any cameras in the room, but just in case they were being monitored, she lowered her voice until it wasn't audible to anyone but Bryce.

"They seemed to have taken all my weapons and my lock picking kit, but they left my belt on. I activated the distress signal before I passed out from the tranq dart, so help should be arriving."

* * *

**Location Unknown**

Shaw was awoken by the sound of his Ring phone. He picked it up with every intention of yelling at the person who would dare disturb his sleep.

"WHAT!"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

Shaw bolted upright from his bed. "You have both Sarah Walker and Agent Larkin in captivity!?"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"How were you able to capture them before the party?"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

Shaw snickered. "Yes, I'm not surprised by their actions. I've read Agent Larkin's file. He's already an arrogant son-of-a-bitch, and after receiving the Intersect, there's no doubt he probably developed a God complex."

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"No, the party is still on. We still need investors after that cluster fuck down in Puerto Vallarta."

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"NO...Let me make one thing very clear. No one will touch them until I get there."

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"Good, but just to make sure I get this point through your thick skull…No harm shall come to them, is that understood?"

*murmuring noises through the phone*

"Alright…Oh and post two guards outside that room with them 24/7…We don't want them escaping now."

*murmuring noises through the phone*

Shaw hung up the phone as he flopped back down on his bed. _We have the Intersect and soon, Walker will be mine! _He drifted off to sleep with a wide grin on his face as he dreamt of all the things he would do to Sarah Walker.

* * *

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Chuck walked down the steps of Castle wearing his name-sake chucks, dark form fitting slacks, and a crisp white button up shirt while he held his coat draped over his left shoulder. Now that he wasn't working in the Buy More, and he was a supposed manager of a software company, he was expected to dress a little more businesslike. After both Carina and Tiffany teamed up on him, and forced him to buy several new suits and wear them on a daily basis; he actually started liking the looks he was getting.

As Chuck descended the steps of Castle, he noticed Tiffany and Carina sitting across from each other. Casey entered the conference room from the armory when Chuck took a seat in between the two beautiful agents.

"Nice of you to finally join us Bartowski." Casey took a seat next to Carina.

"Come on Casey, I'm 5 minutes early…Give me some slack, I just recently finished working on those special tranq darts with my dad."

Tiffany turned and gave Chuck a flirtatious smile. "Don't worry Chuck, Casey's just grumpy he didn't get much gunplay on that last mission…So you still haven't told me what makes this dart so special."

Carina rolled her eyes. Sometimes she felt Tiffany was as bad as her when flirting with Chuck.

"Yeah Chuckles, tell **US**, what makes this dart so special." Carina made sure to put extra emphasis on the word 'us' as she stared at Tiffany.

Chuck was oblivious to everything and was just excited to explain what he and his dad came up with.

"Well you see…" Chuck pulled out a red tranq dart from his pocket. "…when this tranq dart hits its target, it releases nano bots into the bloodstream, and those bots can…"

Casey grunted and interjected. "Oh great, you got the moron talking in his native nerd tongue."

Chuck was about to respond when the screen flicked on, revealing the face of Diane Beckman.

"Team, we have an urgent matter that needs your assistance."

Casey sat up straighter, if that was even possible. "How can we help General?"

"Before I explain everything, I need to read Agent Miller and Andrews into the situation at hand…The information I'm about to divulge is highly sensitive, and discussing it with anyone but your team would be grounds for treason…Do I make myself clear?"

Carina and Tiffany nodded in unison.

"Now this mission involves the Intersect. You two maybe wondering what that is and…"

Carina spoke up. "General, I don't mean to interrupt but I know about the Intersect already."

Tiffany followed right after her. "So do I ma'am."

Beckman seemed to be getting so angry, that her face seemed to be turning a slight shade of red.

"How do you know about the…" Beckman sought out Chuck's face and she scowled at him. "…BARTOWSKI! You told them about the Intersect!?"

Chuck shrugged like it was no big deal. "They're my team, and I trust them with my life…I thought they deserved to know."

Casey interjected himself in the conversation to try to save Bartowski's ass.

"Ma'am, although Agent Carmichael disobeyed direct orders, I agree with his assessment of Agents Miller and Andrews, and I agree with his decision to read them in on matters involving the Intersect…If we can get back to the matters at hand, it sounded like you had something urgent to tell us."

Beckman raked her hand over her face and blew out an exasperated sigh. _Chuck's going to be the death of me one day!_

"Very well...Team Intersect…"

The minute they heard 'Team Intersect', everybody in the room, except for Tiffany, seemed to stiffen. Agent Andrews still didn't know the identity of the woman who hurt Chuck.

"…was charged with the task of bringing in this man." A picture of Daniel Shaw filled half the screen. "Shaw was believed to be attending a party in Paris for new investors for the Ring…3 hours ago; Agent Walker activated her distress signal and has yet to report back in. We are under the assumption that they have been captured. Fortunately for us, the distress signal is still strong, so we believe the Ring isn't aware of it. Since the information surrounding the Intersect is of the upmost importance, and highly classified, I need your team for this."

Beckman glanced at Chuck and saw how out of it he was. He seemed to be stuck in his own world, starring off into space. The General felt a hint of sympathy for him, but she needed her best on this, and Chuck not paying attention, annoyed her a great deal.

Diane tried to snap him out of it. "Agent Carmichael! Mr. Bartowski! CHUCK!"

Chuck snapped out of it to see that all eyes were on him. The only thing registering in his mind was…_Sarah needs me!_

Chuck quickly stood up.

"Ok, here's what we do…Tiffany I need you to get on the computer and link up Cortana with Agent Walker's GPS signal. Casey, you and Carina start packing up all the equipment we might need for this mission…you know what, pack up equipment we might not need too…"

Casey smirked, he did love his guns.

Carina felt proud of Chuck for taking control of the team in order to save Sarah. She also found it a bit sexy, but she didn't really need to think about that right now. She needed to stay focused to help one of her best friends.

Chuck turned to face the screen. Beckman was a bit surprised at what was unfolding.

"…General, we need the fastest jet available."

Beckman actually stumbled on her words. "Uh ye-yes Agent Carmichael…A G650 will be ready when you are. That should get you to Paris quicker." After getting over the initial shock, Diane actually smiled. "Good luck team." And with that, she disconnected the feed.

"I'm coming Sarah, hold on."

* * *

**A/N (2): This is probably the most I've written involving Sarah. But of course, I couldn't end the chapter without having Chuck in it. He is AWESOME after all. I really liked how this chapter turned out, and I hope you guys do too.**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Don't know what to say, so here's another weekly installment of DE.**

**Special thanks to my betas JennyStone and uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 7**

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Chuck knew he was running around like a chicken with his head cut off, and he knew that in order for him to save Sarah, he needed to calm down. _And save Bryce too…right? Yeah, save Bryce too!_

Chuck took several calming breaths then quickly went to work.

After Agent Andrews downloaded the coordinates for the distress signal and gave it to Chuck, he programmed it into Cortana so that wherever Sarah went, assuming she still had her belt on, he would always be able to find her.

The General sent over all the intel that Team Intersect had gathered for the mission, and Tiffany made quick work of arranging them into an actual file. Once she was done, she handed the file to Chuck and went over to the armory to help Carina and Casey pack.

Tiffany could tell something was going on. Even though Team Bartowski wasn't together for very long, they had been on a couple of missions, and Chuck was never like this. He seemed was more preoccupied, more anxious, and more closed off. Now as an agent, these types of qualities can get you dead real quick.

She kept watching him out of the corner of her eye until she couldn't take it anymore. If Chuck was hurting, she wanted to help him out.

Tiffany took a step out of the armory when a hand suddenly gripped her forearm; causing her to stop her forward motion.

"Don't Tiffany."

Tiffany just kept starring at Chuck. "Something's wrong Carina."

'Humph' Casey briskly walked past his two female partners mumbling under his breath that sounded something like 'lady feelings'.

The two agents ignored Casey, and Carina responded.

"He's just dealing with some things."

Tiffany shot Carina an accusatory glare. "You know as well as I do, if he's not focused, he could get himself killed."

Carina let go of her arm and took a step towards Tiffany, their faces only inches apart. With a fiery tone Carina said, "First, don't act like you're the only one that cares about him…Second, I would never let that happen."

Tiffany softened her stance. She knew Carina cared for Chuck as much as she did. Both these women came to an understanding a while back. Even though they would constantly compete for Chuck's attention, they both knew where the line was when it came to him. Of course, they both challenged that line every now and then, but they would never cross it.

Tiffany took a step back, attempting to lessen the tension between them. "What's going on with him?" She asked with a tone that showed she wasn't leaving without answers.

Carina could see the concern etched all over her face and she relented.

"You know the woman who hurt him?"

The concern on Tiffany's face was replaced with contemplation then understanding. And after a few seconds, that was now replaced by animosity.

"Agent Walker" Tiffany seethed.

Carina nodded. "He'll figure it out…He always does."

* * *

Everything was packed and ready to go. Team Bartowski started heading up the steps of Castle when Chuck stopped and turned to face Tiffany.

"Tiffany, this is the farthest we're going to be from Castle, but through our satellite, I should still be able to link up with you through Cortana."

Andrews glanced up at the door of Castle that led to Carmichael Industries. Carina was waiting at the top, while Casey had seemed to have already left.

Tiffany just couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Don't go" she practically whispered.

It wasn't soft enough, and the request confused Chuck.

"What?"

Not willing to reveal what she had just learned so soon, she looked for another way to say what she wanted to say.

"You're…You're distracted Chuck…I don't know what it is about Team Intersect, but I think you should sit this one out to be safe."

"I'm not going to let Casey and Carina go without me."

Carina was getting impatient. "Come on Chuck let's go!"

Chuck responded with a little more force than he intended too. "Just go wait in the car, I'll be right there."

Carina huffed and left; yelling over her shoulder, "Whatever!"

"I've got to go Tiffany, my team needs me." Chuck turned to leave, but was stopped dead in his tracks by Tiffany's response.

"Do you truly believe they need you…or do you think Agent Walker needs you?"

She regretted it the moment the words came spilling out of her mouth. Resentment, pain, and embarrassment, all filled his once deep caring amber eyes.

"Chuck I…" _To hell with it! _"…I was the reason my partner died."

Tiffany lowered her head and looked to the floor.

Chuck had no idea where that admission came from. He just stood there looking at her like she was an alien.

Tiffany, hearing only the humming of the computers in Castle, continued. "The reason I retired as a field agent…was because I couldn't take the guilt of getting my partner killed…We were pretty close. And one night, some things happened between us…I felt like you probably feel right now…I felt pain, anger, fear, and some things I just can't put a name to."

She lifted her gaze and saw Chuck nod his head signaling for her to continue.

"We had a mission, and those feelings made me slip up…" A tear ran down her cheek. "…I should have died that night, but he sacrificed himself to save me…because I fucked up."

Chuck wrapped her up in his arms and she melted into him. He could feel his shirt getting wet from all the tears now escaping from her eyelids.

Chuck cooed "It's okay."

"It's not ok Chuck…I got my partner killed because of my stupid emotions, and now you're going out there, feeling the way you do…and you're going to get yourself…"

Chuck pulled away from her, hunched himself over, and lifted her face with his index finger under her chin so they were now eye to eye.

"I'll be fine…Am I more emotionally involved than usual? Yes…but I'm not going to abandon Sarah because of whatever my feelings are towards her…And I'm not going to abandon or risk the safety of my team…my family, because of those feelings…Casey, Carina, **YOU**, are part of my family, and I won't abandon you guys by getting distracted and getting myself killed…OK?"

Tiffany nodded and gave him a not so happy smile.

Chuck pulled her back into an embrace and kissed the top of her head.

"I know it was hard for you to tell me that…Thank you for trusting me…and if I could do anything to help…"

Chuck felt Tiffany nod against his chest, and he let out a small laugh.

"Tiffany, I hate to leave like this, but I need to go. I'm sure Casey wants to kill me right now for taking so long."

Just then Casey barged through the door of Castle.

"Bartowski…if you don't get your ass in the car right now, I'm going to shoot you!"

* * *

**May 2010**

**In route to Paris, France**

**G650**

Team Bartowski was in route to Paris, and soon, they would hopefully be completing their mission of rescuing Team Intersect.

Casey appeared to be sleeping a couple rows away from his two partners, saying something about how he needed his rest so he would be ready for all the Ring agents he was planning on killing.

Carina sat next to Chuck with her head resting on his shoulder trying to catch some sleep herself, but it proved to be too difficult because of her seat mate.

The moment they entered the jet, Chuck had quickly sat down and started reviewing the file that Tiffany organized from all the intel Team Intersect had gathered. Chuck looked over all the material repeatedly to make sure he didn't miss anything, and to try to formulate some sort of game plan.

On what seemed like the 100th time, Chuck flipped back to the first page of the file in order to review it again. Carina had had enough. She snatched the folder out of Chuck's hands and tossed it a couple of feet from where they were seated.

"Chuck, give it a rest, you've been over that file a million times, and I'm trying to sleep here." She gave him a slightly annoyed look.

"You know…you could sleep somewhere else if I'm making it too difficult" he deadpanned.

Carina smirked. "Yeah, but you're a good pillow." She snuggled up to him a little more.

When Chuck didn't say anything, she moved away from him and saw the anxiety that riddled his face.

"Are you worrying about seeing Sarah?"

Chuck's eyes started darting around, not willing to meet Carina's.

_YES! _ "No…Maybe…" He sighed. "…Its funny isn't it?"

Carina grabbed his face to make sure he looked her in the eyes.

"What is?"

"Bryce is the perfect agent. I mean that's why Sarah…It-it's funny that someone like me was chosen to save the likes of them…Don't get me wrong, you and Casey do all the heavy lifting…"

Casey grunted and you could hear his gruff voice throughout the jet. "And don't you forget it Bartowski!"

Chuck laughed. "Eavesdropping Casey? I thought you were asleep."

'Humph' "Can't sleep when you two girls keep gossiping and discussing your lady feelings so loudly."

"Ignore him Chuck…Where are my handcuffs!?"

Chuck could have sworn he heard a gulp coming from the direction of one Colonel John Casey.

Carina continued once she believed that John would stay silent.

"You're a great agent Chuck…better than Larkin."

Chuck twirled his head towards Carina to see if he could detect even a hint of deceit in her eyes…he found none.

"Yeah I highly doubt…"

She cut him off by punching him in the arm. "Are you calling me a liar!?"

"Um…No?"

"That's what I thought…You're still not convinced are you? What am I saying of course you're not…Did you or did you not save my life? And are you or are you not on the most elite team there is?"

"Uh, yes but…"

"No buts! I can guarantee you that if I was partnered with any other agent, including Bryce…Hell Blondie for that matter…I would have died that day. You were stupid enough to actually stick around and save me."

Carina punched him again surprisingly at the exact same spot she punched Chuck earlier.

"OW! Why?"

"For being stupid enough to risk your life for me."

Carina then kissed him on the cheek and snuggled back into him with every intention of catching some shut-eye.

Chuck still didn't see what was so special about him. He was convinced that if you wanted to be the perfect spy, you would try to be like Bryce, Casey, Carina, or Sarah…not him.

"You know…"

Carina let out an incensed sigh and begrudgingly moved away from her Chuck pillow.

Chuck continued undeterred. "…some people might find the fact that I use tranq guns and that I'm too emotional as weaknesses."

Carina punched Chuck again, and again it was remarkably in the same spot.

"Seriously…How is it the same exact spot!?"

Casey came stomping down the aisle.

"Will you two cram it! And Bartowski…Just because you're a woman with too many emotions, that doesn't make you a bad agent. For some odd reason you make it work for you…Hell I'm the best spy ever and I couldn't save Miller down in Mexico…You're better than pretty boy Larkin will ever be, even if he does have the Intersect…Miller is right, we are the best, and if you don't believe that we are, then you wouldn't be here."

Casey turned around and started walking off in a huff.

"I love you too Casey!"

The Colonel stopped in his track and his growl reverberated throughout the plane.

Chuck suddenly felt like he was trapped in the air with a bear, and nowhere to escape.

"I uh…I uh, mean…uh I love the team…you know, Carina and Tiffany as well."

Chuck clamped his eyes shut and started praying that that was a good enough response to soothe the savage beast.

Casey stomped off to his seat to try and finally get some sleep.

Chuck still had his eyes closed, so he didn't see Carina go completely pale.

_HE LOVES ME!?_

After a couple of seconds he opened his eyes and glanced at Carina, and he chuckled when he took in the sight of her. He surprisingly knew her quite well.

"I consider you guys family Carina…I love you like I love Morgan…or Ellie."

Carina gave a nervous chuckle. "I just never had…"

"I know…I know."

He protectively wrapped an arm around her and brought her close to him as he kissed her temple.

Chuck should have let it go, but he had to say something that's been bothering him. He thought _why not now?_

"Um Carina?"

Carina didn't move from her spot this time, she just kept her head on his shoulder.

"Seriously Chuck!? You're the worst pillow ever!"

He gave a small laugh. "You know…just because I may have saved your life, doesn't mean you owe me anything…If you didn't want to stay…" _Sarah obviously didn't._

"I want to be here Chuck…I always complete my mission."

"Mission…you mean stopping the Ring?"

"No, my mission of screwing your brains out…No one ever rejects me."

"There's a first time for everything Carina."

* * *

**May 2010**

**Paris, France**

**Base under the mansion**

_Party is tomorrow night. That gives me…26 hours with Walker. That's plenty of time to make her beg for her life.  
_

* * *

The door swung open and a 6'3'', well built, classically handsome man with jet black hair walked in.

To Sarah and Bryce's surprise, although they didn't show it, the man that entered was Shaw. He ordered the two guards posted outside the room, to make sure he wouldn't be interrupted.

Once the door was closed, Shaw walked over to the two captives and started in.

"Agent Walker, you don't know how long I've been waiting for this."

Shaw grazed Sarah's left cheek with his hand and Sarah spat at him.

Daniel smirked as he dug a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe his face. After he wiped off the spit, he threw a quick, but powerful, jab to her face; causing her head to snap back.

"Now, now, Sarah, play nice." Shaw took a step forward and threw a right hook into Sarah's ribs, causing her to stifle a groan.

"Stop! Stop! It's me you want!"

Shaw turned his head to look at Bryce.

"I don't want the Intersect."

Bryce couldn't hide the confusion on his face. "The Ring doesn't…"

"Now, I didn't say the Ring didn't want the Intersect. I just said I didn't."

"You're not with the Ring?" Sarah asked.

Shaw gave her an oily smile. "Technically…Yes…I really don't care about this organization though, but they were the best choice to defect to in order to get what I wanted."

"And what's that?" Bryce questioned.

"Why, the lovely Sarah Walker of course."

* * *

**Paris, France**

Parked down the street, a block away from the mansion; was a black surveillance van. The black, not ominous at all, van contained 3 of some of the greatest spies in the world. Well, if you asked two of the people in that van, that's the answer you would get. The odd man out would tell you the van contained 2 of the greatest spies in the world, and a self-proclaimed nerd; but that's not important.

Chuck typed in a sequence on Cortana and suddenly all their earpieces and watch microphones were connected to Tiffany back at Castle.

Tiffany's voice rang out through every ones ears. "I can't believe it worked…Did I ever tell you how amazing you are Chuck."

Casey snorted in disgust.

Carina keyed her watch microphone. "I tell him how 'AMAZING' he is every night Tiffany."

Chuck desperately tried to keep his face from flushing.

Tiffany laughed. "He's turning red isn't he Carina."

Casey growled to put an end to all the foolishness.

Chuck keyed his watch. "Agent Andrews, I need you to take control of the satellite and take thermal shots of the whole place."

Tiffany knew it was time to get serious by the sound of Chuck's tone, also adding in the fact that he called her Agent Andrews.

"The pictures will be sent to you in a few minutes Agent Carmichael."

After a couple minutes, the team was scanning over the photos that Tiffany sent over.

A small frown appeared on Casey's face. "There are way too many people, so that rules out shooting our way in."

Carina piped in. "Maybe we could break in at midnight when some of the people leave and others go to bed."

Chuck shook his head 'no'. "We can't wait. Sarah and Bryce could be dead or could be moved by then."

He glanced at the house and something caught his eye. Chuck reached for the binoculars and pointed them towards the mansion. A smile broke out on his face as he saw a number of men in blue jumpsuits moving all kinds of equipment inside the house.

Chuck turned to his teammates. "Looks like they hired movers to set up for their party…I got an idea; hope you guys don't mind a change in clothes."

* * *

**Paris, France**

**Base under the mansion**

Bryce's face snapped to the side as Shaw's fist connected with it, with what seemed like the 100th time. Blood slowly dripped out of Bryce's mouth as he slumped over, barely conscious.

Shaw took a few deep breaths to compose himself.

"Well, looks like Sarah doesn't care about you Larkin. Not even a peep of protest…Shame, rumor has it that you two are compromised."

"What is it you want from me anyway?" Sarah asked. She really wished she had her knives right about now.

"I want you to suffer like I suffered. I really thought I could at least get a rise out of you with the Intersect over here. I was wrong…Guess I've got to hurt you the old fashioned way."

Sarah really wanted to know what she had done that made Shaw want to hurt her so much. Seeing as she didn't have many options at the moment, she asked.

"What did I ever do to you?" Sarah couldn't keep the hatred out of her voice.

"You really don't know do you?"

Shaw took out his wallet, retrieved a photo, and held it out for her to see.

Sarah's eyes widen. In a barely audible voice, she asked, "How do you know her?"

"She's my wife…That's right Sarah. The woman you killed for your Red Test was my wife. Evelyn Shaw."

* * *

**Paris, France**

Casey, Chuck, and Carina had gained access into the mansion, and they were now currently moving down a hallway wearing blue jumpsuits they 'borrowed', from some workers. The three of them carried a pretty bulky table to go along with their disguise.

"What was the point of bringing all our beautiful guns when we were just going to leave them in the van Carmichael?" Casey angrily whispered.

Chuck sighed. "How many times Casey? We needed to blend in, and we can't do that with our jumpsuits being bulkier than they already are…We should accomplish this mission as covertly as possible…we might not even need to use our guns."

Carina tried to break it up. "Boys…"

At that moment, a man walked out into the hallway and pointed his silenced mp5 at them when he noticed the intruders.

"You are not authorized to be here."

Casey decided to take this one. "Look…We were told to bring this table down here, so let us do our jobs."

The Ring agent reached for his radio so Carina decided to intervene. With an extra sway of her hips she sauntered over to the man.

"Please…I really need this job. One more complaint to my boss and he's going to fire me."

At this point, Carina was right in front of the agent as she placed her left hand on his forearm.

She gave the man an impish smile. "I'll do anything if you can keep this quite. I really need this job."

The Ring agent reciprocated the smile and started to lower his gun.

With lightning quick speed, Carina threw a devastating elbow to the man's face that instantly rendered him unconscious.

As the man fell like a tree, Chuck let out a long whistle.

Chuck looked over Cortana to try to find where to go next. He hit a couple keys and noticed that the Sarah's signal was below them.

Casey picked up the mp5 and slung the strap over his right shoulder. Then he picked up the unconscious Ring agent and hauled him over his left. They started walking towards the room the man came out of in order to hide the body.

Chuck activated his watch. "Andrews, use Castle's main frame to analyze the layout of the property. We need to find the entrance to their underground base."

"Give me a second" Tiffany responded over the ear piece.

The minute they got into the room, Casey dropped the body and the three of them stripped out of their jumpsuits. They were all wearing black BDUs, with vests over the top. Carina objected to the uniform at first, but when Chuck said he wanted her safe, there was no way she could refuse.

Tiffany's voice crackled through their ear pieces.

"Alright, exit that room you're in and go all the way down the hall...The door should be on your right. The hidden entrance is in the library."

Chuck withdrew his customized Five-seveN, and looked at his teammates. "Let's go."

Casey and Carina exited the room, but before Chuck left, he turned back around and shot the Ring agent with a twilight tranq. He wanted to make sure the guy didn't remember what Team Bartowski looked like.

The three agents quickly made it to the library.

"Looks like the entrance is in the west side of the room" Tiffany stated.

The whole west side of the room was outlined by bookshelves.

"Andrews, can you hack into their system and open the entrance?" Carina asked into her watch.

"Negative…Carmichael; you're going to have to hack into their system the old fashioned way." Tiffany responded.

Chuck just smiled and went to work on Cortana. After 10 minutes, he finally broke into their system and the secret entrance to the Ring's underground base slid open.

Chuck had a thought. _Is it just me, or does every one seem to have a secret underground base now-a-days?  
_

* * *

Team Bartowski worked their way through the maze of the Ring base rather quickly in large part thanks to Cortana. Chuck followed Sarah's distress signal and knew exactly each turn to make. They didn't encounter much of a resistance since most of the agents were up top preparing everything for the party. Also, if Cortana showed anybody heading their way, Chuck made sure to go the proper direction to avoid any unpleasantries. They were so close to saving Sarah and Bryce, and he felt the longer they stayed invisible, the better.

Carina was positioned up front, with Chuck being in the middle, and Casey bringing up the rear. Before Carina could turn a corner, Chuck stopped the group. Cortana revealed that if they made a left and went down the hall; that was where Sarah would be, and hopefully Bryce too. The reason Chuck stopped Carina was because Cortana also showed that there were two agents guarding the outside of the room.

Chuck keyed his mic. "Andrews…we located Agent Walker. Hopefully the other person in the room is Agent Larkin. Once we identify Team Intersect, I'm going to need you to alert the local authorities and send them here. We could use the distraction."

"Understood…Be careful." Tiffany responded.

Casey moved up front with Carina.

"You ready Miller...On three I take left you take right."

Carina nodded. "Three!"

Both agents jumped out and quickly fired their suppressed weapons. Casey fired the mp5 he got off the Ring agent earlier while Carina fired her SIG-Sauer P226. Both of them delivered clean head shots.

When the team got to the door where they believed Sarah and Bryce would be behind, Chuck quickly got to work on the keypad.

Chuck stopped typing on Cortana for a second. "Hey guys, check their pockets maybe they wrote the password down."

"Moron why…"

"It's a joke Casey" Chuck deadpanned

Carina bent down to inspect one of the guards. "Oh my god, you were right!"

"Really!?"

Carina just gave Chuck an incredulous look.

"I'll just get back to work now."

It took a couple minutes, but Chuck finally got the door unlocked.

* * *

**Base under the mansion**

Shaw had been sitting in the only common room in the whole compound. It was on the opposite side of the base from where Team Intersect was being held, but he wasn't in much of a rush. He had just revealed to Walker that she killed his wife. He wanted to give her time to process it and let that tidbit of information eat away at her.

Shaw grabbed his radio. He wanted one of the guards posted outside Team Intersects room to check on Sarah and see if she had snapped. He smiled when he thought of the look on her face when he revealed that her Red Test consisted of her killing his Evelyn.

"Jacobs."

No one answered.

"JACOBS!"

Shaw took off running in the direction of his prisoners.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

* * *

One of the dead guards radio, crackled to life. "Jacobs…JACOBS!"

Chuck bent down and picked it up and started walking the opposite direction of his team.

"Carmichael, where the hell are you going!?"

Chuck turned around. "Casey, you and Carina get Sarah and Bryce out of there…" He held up the radio. "…I need a quiet place so I can try to stall."

Chuck turned back around and started walking down the hall when he heard Sarah's voice. It sent a warm sensation throughout his body.

_This is not the time!_

He activated the radio and lowered his voice.

"Yes sir, Jacobs here."

Shaw's voice came through. "Why haven't you been answering!? Is everything alright…why do you sound like that?"

"I've always sounded like this sir." _Is this seriously working?_

"Right…well I'm coming to you."

"Yes sir!"

Chuck clipped the radio to his belt and ran back towards his team. When he entered the room, he saw her. Unfortunately the scene wasn't a pleasant one. Sarah was kneeling down in front of Bryce with her hands on both sides of Bryce's face. True…Bryce looked like he had gotten the crap beaten out of him, but that didn't make Chuck's heart hurt any less.

Chuck hardened his resolve. He needed to complete this mission and make sure everyone returned home safely. He would deal with his pain in the privacy of his home.

"Guys we got to go."

Sarah tensed at the all too familiar voice. She turned as his name slowly escaped her mouth.

"Ch-Chuck…"

Chuck didn't even acknowledge her. "We got to move people. Someone is on their way here…" He activated his watch. "…Andrews, call it in."

"They're already on their way Carmichael." Tiffany answered.

Chuck walked up to Bryce who was still seated. "Hey buddy, you think you're good enough to get out of here?"

Bryce scoffed. "Just a couple of bumps…Good to see you Chuck."

Chuck helped Bryce up. "It's Carmichael…Casey, lead the way. Bryce and I will be in the middle. Carina, you and Agent Walker take the rear."

Sarah's world seemed to be imploding. She just couldn't grasp whatever the hell was happening. She felt a hand shake her, and she turned to see it was Carina.

"Snap out of it Walker, we need to get your asses out of here."

The five of them were going through the maze at a fairly decent speed when Chuck had them stop all of a sudden.

"Guys, someone is coming our way, we need to go back so we can avoid…"

Bryce interrupted him. "That will take too long. We need to find Shaw and get out of here."

Chuck felt a little frustrated. "We are not here for Shaw. Our mission was to save Team Intersect, and that's what we're doing…We should avoid contact with anyone at all cost to lessen the chances of us being discovered."

Bryce really didn't want to take a back seat to anybody.

"Look Chuck, how about you leave the spy work to actual spies."

In less than a second, Carina's SIG-Sauer P226 was pressed up against Bryce's temple.

"Its Carmichael, prick…I don't care that you've got a computer in your pretty little head, disrespect my team again and I pull the trigger" Carina seethed.

Casey gave an affirmative grunt.

Chuck just pushed Carina's gun away and shook his head 'no'.

Sarah was dumbfounded, plain and simple.

Bryce started walking away. "I'm going after Shaw. I'm not going to fail my mission."

Chuck pulled his Five-seveN and aimed it at Bryce.

Sarah's eyes were as big as saucers. "CHUCK, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH A GUN!?"

Chuck rolled his eyes. "For the last time, its Carmichael…and it's a tranq gun."

Everyone was so focused on Bryce, that they didn't notice the man who turned the corner just too quickly jump back into hiding around the corner. In dealing with Bryce, Chuck forgot to check Cortana to see where the person coming their way, was.

* * *

Shaw couldn't believe it. Somehow, Larkin and Walker had escaped and now had backup. Thankfully, they all seemed too busy to have noticed him stepping out in the open and back around the corner. He thought of setting off the alarm, but quickly killed that idea. He decided to just radio all the Ring agents about the intruders, that way Team Intersect and their back up wouldn't know that they were on to them.

He pulled out his radio and pressed a button so it would broadcast his message to all the radios each Ring agent had in their possession.

* * *

The radio Chuck had clipped to his belt activated.

"Attention all agents. Team Intersect has escaped and are now in the southwest corridor of the base. Proceed with caution. They are armed and have back-up."

Casey snorted in displeasure. "Great work pretty boy, look what you did. If you would have just listened to Carmichael instead of trying to be superman for blondie over here, we would have been home free."

Chuck looked at his wrist comp. He groaned when he saw the red dot that was just around the corner. He figured that was the man on the radio since he knew where they were and that they had escaped.

Bryce took a step back. "Look guys, that was Shaw's voice, he must be close." He took another step back.

Chuck quickly ejected the magazine of his Five-seveN, which contained twilight darts; and loaded a magazine filled with his special red darts. He turned his head to his team.

"Guys get Agent Walker out of here, and I'll meet you at the rendezvous spot. Get Agent Andrews to find you another exit."

Carina did not take too kindly to that order. "Are you an idiot…We're not going to leave you!"

"Trust me."

Carina sure as hell didn't want to leave him, but the look in his eyes convinced her he knew what he was doing.

"Fine…but if you get hurt, I'm going to kill you!"

Chuck smiled.

Carina went to grab Sarah but she stepped back.

Sarah was incensed. "What the hell is wrong with you people? We can't leave Chuck!" She turned her attention to her nerd/spy. "Chuck, you're going to get yourself killed if we leave…You need me to protect you…"

Sarah suddenly collapsed; a red dart sticking out of her arm.

Casey and Carina were shocked and kept darting their eyes from Sarah to Chuck.

Chuck broke them out of their haze. "GO!"

Casey nodded and lifted Sarah over his shoulder and they ran away, leaving Chuck pointing his gun back at Bryce.

Chuck knew he didn't have much time to waste so he quickly drew his Smith & Wesson Series V out of his ankle holster.

Bryce was confused. "What are you…"

'BANG'

"Now no one will have the Intersect…Goodbye Bryce."

* * *

Shaw couldn't believe it. Larkin's back-up betrayed him. _The Intersect is dead!?_

He peeked around the corner and saw nothing but Larkin's body laying there. He quietly made his way over to the body to make sure he was really dead. Daniel was confused because there seemed to be no fresh blood. He couldn't find a wound either.

All Shaw saw before his vision blurred and darkness overtake him, was a red dart sticking out of Larkin's body.

* * *

Chuck walked up to the two unconscious bodies. He unloaded his Five-seveN, and loaded it back with twilight darts, and he shot Shaw again for good measure. He checked Cortana and realized that a few agents were converging on his position, so he walked to the end of the hallway where it broke off into a T-section, and threw a flashbang down each corridor.

The groans and screams let him know he bought himself some time. He came back to Bryce's body and lifted him into a fireman's carry.

Activating and bringing the watch to his mouth, he spoke.

"Andrews, did they make it out ok?"

"They're fine Carmichael. They are headed to the rendezvous spot, so I suggest you get the hell out of there."

"Lead the way."

"Go back the way you came and make a right. You'll than hit another T-section so turn left."

Chuck took off at a dead sprint, Bryce's body barely slowing him down.

"Oh and Carmichael…Miller told me your plan of separating from them…I'm kicking your ass when you come back."

Chuck cracked a smile as he picked up the pace on his running.

* * *

**A/N (2): Another big chapter. Well bigger than my usual chapters. Hope you enjoy it…It was rather crazy to write. Don't know why, it just was.**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Ok, so I'm a mixed bag of emotions right now. On the one hand, I got over 100 reviews which is mind blowing! It was all your guys hard work that got me over 100…obviously since it's your reviews LOL…On the other hand; some people seemed to dislike Chp7. I wanted to apologize for that, but I actually loved the chapter, then again I'm biased.**

**Special thanks to my betas JennyStone and uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 8**

**May 2010**

**In route to Los Angeles**

**G650**

Sarah Walker felt like shit to put it in layman's terms. She had been tranquilized twice in the course of several days. She considered herself to be the best of the best, and she got tranqed by the stupid Ring, and by a 'friggin' nerd! True…that nerd was charming, adorable, brilliant, had eyes you could get lost in and a smile that blinded you…and he was her nerd…but what the hell!?

Sarah was slowly awakening as she tried to shake off the effects of the tranq dart. She quickly assessed that she was on a plane. Where that plane was going, she had no idea.

The last thought Sarah had before she drifted off into oblivion was, _AGAIN! I'M GOING TO KILL CHU-…  
_

* * *

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Sarah Walker now felt horrendous. Her mouth was dry, the beginning of a migraine was creeping up on her, and she had no idea where she was or how long she had been out. Throw in the fact that the tranq count now stood at; Ring: 1 Chuck: 2; and she was about ready to go on a war path.

She couldn't believe it. Chuck had not only tranqed her, he had the nerve to do it twice!

Sarah sat up from her cot slowly, to take in her surroundings. She seemed to be in some type of sleeping quarters with Bryce who lay unconscious on the bed to the left of her.

Bryce looked a lot better than when she last saw him. There was no trace of blood on his face, and the IV bag that was supplying him with fluids, was hanging off a pole next to him. He had some light swelling on his face, but that was to be expected when some asshole used your face as a punching bag. All things considering, Bryce actually looked quite peaceful.

Sarah decided to take a look around before waking him up. She wanted some answers, especially from Chuck, and having Bryce there during that conversation probably wouldn't go over well.

She started creeping around rather wobbly for a few minutes, not really knowing where the hell she was going, until she somehow found herself in some type of conference room. Thankfully, Casey was sitting at the table looking over some files.

Before she could say anything, Casey spoke; well grunted was more like it.

'Humph'

"Well, hello to you too Casey."

Casey didn't say anything. Instead, he just stood up, walked over to the main computer, hit a couple of keys on the keyboard, and walked back over to his chair. But instead of sitting down, he stood behind it facing the monitor.

General Beckman's face appeared on the huge computer screen.

"Agent Walker, I'm glad you're up. How are you and Agent Larkin doing?"

Sarah took a deep breath. "Well I'm fine ma'am, and Agent Larkin is still asleep…However, the Intersect is a different subject all together…Agent Larkin now seems to be misinterpreting the data when he flashes, leading to inaccurate intel."

Beckman's face didn't change in the slightest. "Is that why you two were captured?"

_That sounded more like an accusation than a question. _"Yes General…I was afraid this might happen when I voiced my concern to you before the mission took place." Sarah had the urge to stick her tongue out, but resisted.

Diane internally rolled her eyes. "Yes I am well aware of that fact…Colonel, where is Agent Carmichael?"

Casey opened his mouth to respond but Sarah quickly cut him off.

"Why wasn't I told Chuck had become an Agent!?"

Casey grunted once more and spoke to the General like he hadn't heard Walker's question.

"Ma'am...Carmichael is a bit tied up at the moment."

"Very well, when Agent Larkin wakes up assemble your team, and we will have a briefing to discuss matters of the Intersect."

Casey gave a slight nod. "Yes ma'am."

The General disconnected the feed and Sarah was left standing there wondering why no one would answer her.

"Why is Chuck an agent Casey…Where is he?"

"Do your job Walker; go watch over the Intersect." Casey responded dismissively before he sat back down and resumed reviewing the files spread out across the table.

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "Fine, I'll find him myself."

She turned around and started her search for Chuck. She still had no idea where to go, but she was adamant about finding him. As she walked down each hallway, looking through every room, Sarah started thinking back about the past few days.

She thought about Bryce who was slowly degrading because of the Intersect. She thought about Bryce lying to her and them getting caught by the Ring. And she thought about her Red Test and how the husband of the woman she killed wanted revenge. However, none of those thoughts seemed to deter her from her current objective.

Then she thought about Chuck. Her sweet innocent nerd had become a cold hearted spy. Of course she didn't know for sure if he had become cold hearted, but she definitely knew he was now a spy. She also was certain that the job changed people, and not for the better. The fact that Chuck had shot her…twice…was proof of that. Sure, he shot her with tranqs, but he still shot her.

The more she thought about him, the angrier she got. She got to the point where she didn't want to find him to talk anymore; she just wanted to find him so she could kick his ass.

Sounds of exertion started to assault her ears, so she decided to go the direction of those noises. The closer she got, the louder the groans seemed to get, and her mind unfortunately took over. All she could imagine was Chuck screwing some brunette skank! If she wasn't over the edge about the thought of Chuck tranqing her, some slut touching her Chuck definitely did it.

With the sole mindset of killing, quite frankly everyone, she stormed into a room she quickly observed to be a training facility. The scene in front of her stopped her dead in her tracks. Sarah stood by the doorway, mouth agape, eyes bugging out, unable to catch her breath.

There, on the sparing mats, in the middle of the room, was a shirtless, sweaty, and well toned Chuck. Sarah couldn't even process anyone else in the room because all she saw was perfection…lanky for sure, but perfection none the less. The way he moved was rather graceful, the complete opposite of the clumsy nerd she once knew. Her mouth started to water as she saw his body twisting and the muscles off his back contracting.

Sarah unconsciously licked her lips as her face started to turn a light shade of pink. Her body suddenly felt like it was on fire, and only having Chuck's body against hers would extinguish the flames deep within her loins.

Chuck was too focused on sparring with Carina and Tiffany, at the same time, to notice Sarah by the doorway. He felt someone watching him, but he was too busy, trying his best not to get his head knocked off, to figure out who it was.

Carina threw a leg kick towards Chuck's head that he easily ducked. While his center of gravity was still low, he spun around and stuck out his right leg, trying to perform a sweep on Carina. Carina easily jumped over Chuck's leg, but that wasn't the worst of it. Because Chuck was spinning, he caught a glimpse of who was watching, and the sight of Sarah completely made his mind forget where he was at the moment.

Tiffany, not knowing how distracted he really was, took advantage of Chuck being so low to the ground, and threw a right hook towards his head. Her fist connected with the side of Chuck's face and he fell flat on his back.

Chuck groaned, and he started mentally berating himself for getting distracted by the sight of a certain blonde angel, or devil; depending on how you look at it.

Tiffany and Carina were quickly by his side, checking him over just in case. They knew he would be fine eventually since he'd taken much harder hits than that, so they decided to put on a little performance for their newest guest.

Tiffany started to run her hands all over Chuck's bare chest, causing him to shiver. She spoke loud enough for Agent Walker to hear.

"Oh God Chuck, I'm so sorry…I'll make it up to you, I swear."

Carina stifled a laugh. "Hey Chucky want me to kiss it and make it better."

Just as Carina's lips descended towards Chucks face, Sarah snapped out of her stupor.

"GET OFF OF HIM!" Sarah started stomping towards the three.

Chuck, Carina, and Tiffany all got up in time to see Sarah a couple of feet in front of them; hands on her hips, face flushed, and breathing rather heavily.

A wave of panic swept over Chuck as he prayed that Sarah wouldn't be mad at him. But then realization set in. He wasn't the one who hurt her. He wasn't the one to run off with Mr. Perfect. He did nothing wrong, and he shouldn't have to feel bad about anything.

Not understanding Sarah's state of fluster; Chuck chose to overlook it as he stated with a tone of pure professionalism, "Hello Agent Walker, how are you feeling?"

Sarah was taken aback by how detached Chuck sounded.

"Don't call me that! What's happened to you…What the hell is going on?"

Chuck could clearly see the hurt and confusion in her eyes, and as much as he wanted not to care, he just didn't have it in him. He was still the same old Chuck whose resolve crumbled every time Sarah was in any bit of pain. _The Chuck that would never be good enough for her._

"I…I uh, I've got to go clean up." Chuck got the hell out of that room and headed for the showers.

Sarah watched him go, and after he left she turned and looked at Carina.

"What the hell is going on…" She then turned her attention to Tiffany. "…and who the hell are you!?" _BRUNETTE!_

Tiffany got up in Sarah's face. "Excuse me, bitch! You don't get to all of a sudden start demanding answers!"

Carina watched the two, standoff. She was torn. On the one hand, Sarah was still one of her closest friends and she knew how much Sarah and Chuck still cared for each other. On the other, Chuck was important to her, and she had become so protective of him lately. Carina didn't want Chuck to get hurt again.

Carina blew out a frustrated sigh and got in between the two.

"Come on ladies, there's enough Chuck to go around…trust me I know."

Sarah and Tiffany both turned and glared at her.

Carina laughed. "Seriously…We're all here fighting over Chuckles who's probably naked as we speak, washing that wonderful body of his."

She saw Sarah's and Tiffany's eyes glaze over and she internally chuckled. _Wow they're starting to drool at the thought of Chuck's…Dammit now I'm thinking about it too. Damn that hot nerd!  
_

* * *

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Chuck took a quick shower and stealthily made his way to the conference room. He didn't want to run into Sarah or Bryce, so he let out a sigh of relief when it was only John in the room.

"Hey Casey…Need help with those files?"

The Colonel looked up from his paperwork. "Thought you and Walker would be going at it like rabbits right about now."

Chuck plopped down on the chair across from the Colonel.

"Oh ha ha Casey, very funny…I have nothing to say to her."

'Humph'

Chuck rolled his eyes. "What?"

"I didn't say anything Bartowski."

"Yeah, but you grunted. And we all know grunting was the very first language you learned."

Casey growled.

Chuck smirked. "And that would be your second."

"Look moron…Everyone can see that you're still hung up on Walker. That's why you haven't let Andrews and Miller devour you yet. Just do whatever you need to do to get this crap out of your system so we can focus again on what's important…I swear, if I see you moping around again like you have been the past year…I won't be held responsible for my actions."

Chuck's face fell. "But she…She left Casey."

The Colonel sighed. "I know Chuck."

* * *

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Carina thankfully dragged Tiffany out of the room. If she hadn't, Sarah and Tiffany would have definitely come to blows. Now Sarah was alone, and she needed to do something, anything, to displace her anger. She saw the punching bag calling her name and she snapped. Sarah walked over to the bag to let it all out.

'Left jab (3x)' 'Right hook.'

'Right knee' 'Right elbow' 'Spinning back fist'

'Head kick' 'Body kick' 'Superman punch'

She threw combo after combo imagining her targets. First was Tiffany, than Carina, Beckman, Bryce, Casey, and finally Chuck.

_Who are they to judge me? I don't owe anyone an explanation…well maybe Chuck. I had a job to do and the CIA is all that I have. He should get it since he's now a spy…which was the last thing I wanted for him. He's supposed to be safe, not running off to go play hero with TIFFANY! After I left, Chuck was supposed to get his act together, start a software company like he always wanted, and wait until I retired so we could live happily ever fucking after…So I never told him what I wanted or how I felt, but he should have known I was too scared…OK fine that's widely irrational but so what?_

Sarah took a couple calming breaths. Just before she released her final strike, Chuck's face disappeared, and her image was projected on the heavy bag. She hated herself for hurting Chuck. Sure, subconsciously she always knew he was going to be hurt by her leaving, but she was too much of a coward to really face it head on.

She delivered a deadly spinning elbow that if it were a real person, would have definitely broken a few bones.

Carina walked in just as Sarah's elbow connected with the bag.

"Upset blondie?"

"What do you want Carina?"

"Oh no need to thank me for keeping Chucky…occupied." Carina didn't even bother to try and hide the mirth from her tone.

Sarah's jaw clenched. "He was never supposed to…"

Carina knew where this conversation was headed.

"Get off your high horse Walker."

Sarah looked at Carina in shock. "What?"

"I know you Sarah. I know what you're going to say…You're going to tell me he's just too good for this life, and then you're going to hide behind the job like always…You broke his heart Sarah, but thankfully he picked himself back up. Is this the safest of jobs? No. But he's damn good at it, and if he thinks this is what he was born to do, who are we to say no?"

"This job changes people Carina, you know that."

Carina flopped down on the mats in a lotus position. _This is going to take awhile._

"That's true Sarah, but are you really that insane that you think people don't change? Are you so cold hearted that you're going to give up on someone just because they're different than before…Because that's what you're telling me right now…And if that's the case, than you don't deserve Chuck."

Sarah took a seat across from Carina in the same position as her and lowered her head. Had her own fears make her underestimate Chuck like everyone else? Was she just like Bryce by not even letting Chuck decide his own fate, but making the decision for him. No, Bryce getting Chuck kicked out of Stanford was wrong, and she was right…right?

Carina saw she was starting to get through to her, so she continued.

"This is about more than doing your duty and Chuck becoming a spy isn't it?"

Sarah just shrugged her shoulders and Carina couldn't help but laugh at the sight. The wildcard enforcer of the CIA was reduced to an insecure schoolgirl because of a nerd.

Sarah knew she needed to talk this out. If she didn't, then it would probably eat her alive. And who better to talk to than Carina?

Sarah gathered her resolve and spoke. "It's just…I…" Sarah blew out an exasperated sigh.

"Don't shut down on me now blondie."

"Fine!" Sarah's eyes were threatening to spill. "What if…What if…He wants normal Carina and I refuse to let my guard down just for Chuck to…decide I'm not normal enough."

Carina felt for Sarah, she really did, but she just thought the whole notion of Chuck walking away and hurting her was unimaginable. Carina wasn't blinded by her own personal feelings about Chuck either. Carina knew that both Sarah and Chuck would make mistakes that unfortunately would hurt the other from time to time; but she also knew what Sarah's fear, boiled down to. She knew Sarah was terrified about giving Chuck her heart just for him to realize that she wasn't good enough. Sarah was petrified that Chuck would leave like everyone else had.

"He's not going to leave you Sarah."

Sarah's voice was slightly trembling. "Huh?"

"I get that basically everybody in your life has left and that the CIA has been a steadying force for you, but Chuck isn't your dad, and he damn sure isn't Bryce…There's no doubt in my mind that Chuck would kill himself before he intentionally hurt you."

Sarah remained silent so Carina decided on some tough love.

"Wow…never thought the great Sarah Walker would be scared to death of a nerd…That's fine, it makes it easier for me or Andrews to have him. You think I'm bad, you should see the things Tiffany does to him."

Sarah's fists clenched. "Chuck would never…"

"You say he's going to change, so who's to say he won't become some arrogant playboy prick like Bryce…I mean Chuck believes you left him for Bryce, so maybe he thinks he needs to become like pretty boy to make a woman like you happy."

Carina's words seemed to cut through Sarah.

"He wouldn't…He's too good to become like Bryce…I…I would never let that happen!"

"Hate to brake it too you Walker, but you gave up that right when you left him to go be with exactly that kind of man."

Sarah visibly winced at that particular truth, but Carina pressed on.

"The real question now is what are you going to do about it?"

"But what if…"

Carina sighed as she fell back onto the mats.

"I swear…you and Chuckles belong together."

Sarah chuckled. "Never thought, you would be the type to play matchmaker…Whatever happened to, 'Spies don't fall in love.'"

Carina sat back up, putting most of her weight on her two hands that were propping her up behind her.

"Chuck is like a freak of nature. He just wears you down and wears you down till you submit." Carina gave an impish smile.

Sarah reciprocated the smile. "I hope he'll listen to me, and is willing to give me another chance."

"If he won't, make him…" Carina turned serious all of a sudden. "…But if you hurt him again Walker, I will end you."

"I'm really glad he has you Carina…So what happened with Chuck to make you turn into Ellie?"

Carina laughed. _Ellie is way more intense. _

"I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for him. He was willing to sacrifice his life for me when the smart thing to do would have been to save himself…And it's not about me repaying the favor or anything like that…He's just, special…Never had anyone in my life like him before."

Sarah could see the faraway look on the redhead's face and she knew. _That damn Bartowski charm strikes again._

"You caring about Chuck is cute and all Carina, but when I get Chuck back, there is no way in hell I'm sharing him."

Carina punched Sarah on the shoulder playfully…well the punch had a little more force behind it for it to be considered playful, but that's splitting hairs…got up, and extended her arm out to help Sarah.

"Well you got your work cut out for you blondie, because I ain't going anywhere."

Once Sarah got up, she asked "Do I have to worry about Agent Andrews?"

Carina mulled it over. "Tiffany is just as protective of Chuck as I am, but fortunately for you, we're friends…There's a good chance she hates you for hurting him, so you're just going to have to deal with it and work your cute ass off."

Sarah shook her head in trepidation.

"Come on Walker, did you really believe that you were going to walk out on someone as incredible as Chuck, then come back without having to fight for him?"

Sarah's shoulders sagged. "Why does he always have to be so…Chuck."

* * *

Tiffany sat to the left of Chuck while the Colonel sat across from them in the conference room. Strangely enough, they all seemed to be reviewing mission files at the moment. It wasn't strange for Tiffany or Casey to be looking over files, but it was definitely strange when Chuck would do it without having to twist his arm.

Every now and then, Tiffany would glance at Chuck out of the corner of her eye. There was no way she could focus on the files she was given. All she was thinking about was if Chuck was ok.

She decided to voice her concern, but when she lifted her head to ask Chuck if he was alright, she caught a glimpse of Carina and Walker. Tiffany really disliked this blonde. True, she didn't know her, but if this woman could hurt a man as sweet as Chuck, than she didn't care enough to give her a fair shake.

A thought bubbled up in Tiffany's brain and a mischievous smile covered her face. She knew it would be wrong, and that Chuck would probably be upset at her for acting so childish, but quite frankly, she didn't give a damn.

Tiffany stood up from her chair and positioned herself so she was standing behind Chuck. She then proceeded to rub his shoulders.

"Chuck you're so tense…can I do anything to help you relax?"

Carina smiled as she had to hold Sarah back. She knew what Tiffany was doing, and she felt bad for Sarah, but that didn't mean she didn't deserve it.

The moment Chuck felt Tiffany's hands, he tensed for a second, but he would be lying if he said it didn't feel amazing.

"Uh Tiffany, as much as I appreciate the massage…and believe me it feels fantastic…it really isn't necessary."

Tiffany bent over and ran her hands down his arms while she brought her lips to his right ear. She then proceeded to whisper something which made Chuck start coughing up a storm.

In a nervous and shaky voice, Chuck responded.

"I uh, I uh, don't know Tiffany."

"Please Chuck, do it for…"

Sarah couldn't take it anymore. "HE SAID NO!"

Everyone's eyes were now on Sarah, but she was too mad to care. She walked over to Chuck but kept her eyes on Tiffany as she spoke.

"Chuck I need to talk to you."

Chuck just placed his attention back on the files in front of him.

"Agent Walker I don't…"

Chuck was interrupted by Sarah's hand squeezing his shoulder. Not some light squeeze mind you, but a full on death grip.

"Call me that again Chuck, and I swear you'll regret it…Now get up, we have some things to discuss."

Just as Sarah was pulling Chuck out of his chair, Tiffany placed her hand on Chuck's other shoulder and pushed him back down.

"If Chuck doesn't want to go with you, then he doesn't have to…WALKER."

Chuck heard Sarah growl so he quickly shot out of his chair and stood in between the two.

"Alright, alright, how about everybody relax?"

Casey grunted. "Way to ruin my fun Bartowski."

Chuck looked at Casey with a slightly annoyed look. "Casey, go clean your guns."

The Colonel thought about it, but he surprisingly decided against it.

"Wish I could moron, but we've got to wait for sleeping beauty to wake up so we can all talk to the General."

Chuck turned to Tiffany. "Tiffany, it's alright. I'm just going to have a quick talk with Walk…" He heard a growl behind him. "…Sarah."

Tiffany gave him a sympathetic look. "You don't have to be so nice all the time…I won't let her hurt you."

Sarah scoffed, but Chuck just rolled his eyes.

"I'll be fine Tiffany, I promise…Just come get us when Bryce wakes up."

Tiffany relented. "Fine"

Before Chuck could fully turn around, Tiffany grabbed him and planted a kiss on his lips.

Everyone in the room was shocked. Well Casey was more disgusted and Carina was just amused. Ok, so just Chuck and Sarah were shocked.

Sarah was about to attack, but fortunately, Chuck broke out of his daze in time to grab Sarah.

"Come on Sarah. Let's go to the holding cells so we can have some privacy."

Sarah was kicking and screaming, but Chuck was surprisingly strong enough to hold her back.

"I'll kill her Chuck…Let me go!"

Chuck was getting fed up, and he really didn't want to be dealing with this at the moment. He was already dreading the talk he was about to have with Sarah, but add in the fact that he had to physically restrain her from killing Tiffany…no matter how hot it was…he wanted this over with.

"HEY…if you want to talk, then let's go!"

Sarah froze. Chuck had never yelled at her like that before. At that moment, she felt like a scared little girl being scolded by her father. Sarah didn't even have the nerve to respond, she just nodded her head.

Chuck sighed. He really didn't mean to get so upset.

"I'm sorry Sarah…Can we just go?"

Sarah again kept quiet and just nodded.

"Follow me…" Chuck started to walk off with Sarah in tow. "…Remember guys, if Bryce wakes up, come get us. We'll be in one of the holding cells."

Chuck and Sarah left and Carina flopped down on a chair and kicked her feet up.

"Well this could get interesting."

* * *

It had been about 10 minutes since they entered one of the cells, and neither had said anything. Chuck was standing by the doorway, the wall propping him up, and Sarah was sitting on a cot. Both of them would open their mouths to say something, just too quickly snap them shut.

Chuck decided to be the first one to fall on his sword.

"Well you wanted to talk Sarah, so talk."

Ok, so he could have done more to ease the tension, but he didn't want to hear Sarah apologize for leaving because she loved Bryce. He knew why she left. Why beat a dead horse?

Sarah had never felt this nervous before. The talk with Carina had gone so well, well kind of, and it cleared up a lot of the roadblocks she felt. But of course, when it came time to talking to Chuck specifically, she clams up.

"You seem good Chuck." _Really that's what I'm going to start with?_

"Thanks, so do you…Aside from the whole being captured thing." _Really that's what she wants to start with? I could be doing better things with my time. Ok that's probably not true, but the awkwardness is killing me._

Chuck blew out a breath. "Well, good talk."

He turned to leave but Sarah spoke up.

"WAIT…I just…wanted to apologize…" _For leaving and hurting you. I love you, you big idiot._ "…for, you know." She gave an apologetic smile.

He raked a hand over his face. _She left me, and somehow she's making me feel sorry for her. _He walked over to the cot and sat next to her, making sure there was a good amount of distance still between them.

"Look Sarah, I get why you left. Bryce is perfect…"

"Chuck no…"

"…Let me finish. You don't have to explain. I just wanted you to know that all I ever wanted was for you to be happy. As much as I Lo-…as much as it kills me to see you with Bryce…"

Sarah's mind was on overdrive. _SAY SOMETHING, ANYTHING! TELL HIM YOU LOVE HIM, NOT BRYCE! _

"…If he makes you happy, then that's all that matters."

Sarah's eyes were glassy and she was trying her best, not to breakdown in tears. Here Chuck was, telling her that her happiness was all that mattered to him. It took her breath away to have someone care more about her than themselves. Unfortunately, Chuck's proclamation of his love for her…well his indirect proclamation of love…left her speechless as well.

A tear ran down her soft pale cheek, and he couldn't take it. As much as he wanted to lock away his heart so Sarah couldn't find it, the sight of Sarah so vulnerable, and so upset, killed him every time. He reached out to her and wiped the lone tear away with his thumb.

When Chuck touched her, it sent sparks throughout both parties. Sarah leaned into his hand, and that jolt of electricity gave her enough to say what she needed to say.

"Chuck I…"

The door to the holding cell slid open and Carina walked in. She gave them both a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry guys, but Bryce woke up already and the General needs to speak to all of us."

Chuck nodded. "I'll see you guys there."

When Chuck left, Carina sat down next to Sarah and hugged her friend.

"Guessing it didn't go too well?"

Sarah gave a chuckle that had no hint of merriment in it.

"You could say that."

* * *

It took a minute, but Sarah composed herself enough to be presentable for the briefing. She and Carina walked into the conference room, and Sarah immediately noticed that the General was already on the screen, but Chuck wasn't in the room.

"Agent Walker, glad you could join us…Where's Agent Carmichael?" The General was becoming impatient.

"Uh…"

Just then, Chuck walked past Carina and Sarah, and took a seat next to Tiffany. Chuck was seated at the head of the table that was farthest from the monitor. Tiffany was seated to his left and Casey to his right. Carina sat next to Tiffany and Sarah sat next to Casey. Bryce was just standing off to the side with his arms folded across his chest.

Chuck raised his hand. "Right here General"

The General had a scowl on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Punctual as usual, Carmichael."

Chuck smiled "Anything for you General."

Sarah and Bryce were surprised that Beckman actually cracked a smile.

Diane decided to end the pleasantries so they could get this briefing started.

"Now, can someone please tell me, what in God's name happened?"

Bryce spoke up before anyone else could.

"What happened, General, is that your team ruined my mission."

Casey grunted in disgust. He really disliked Larkin.

"Yeah because being caught and tortured was exactly what you wanted."

Bryce turned towards Casey. "Sarah and I were capable of handling it."

The General had no intention of letting things escalate.

"That's enough!" When Beckman regained control of the room, she continued. "Now Agent Larkin; in light of the malfunctions of the Intersect, you will be sidelined effected immediately. You will stay in Castle and Agent Walker will join Team Bartowski until we can figure out what to do with the Intersect."

Beckman looked directly at Chuck, but before she could get a word in, he cut her off.

"No, General."

Diane was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to upload the Intersect."

Beckman sighed. "Chuck be reasonable…Your past successes as the Intersect makes you invaluable to this project."

Chuck knew this was coming a mile away, but he whole heartedly didn't want it. He got this far without it, and quite honestly, he proved to himself that he wasn't worthless. He knew he could be a great agent without it; an unorthodox one no doubt, but a great one at that. Of course he believed you could only go as far as your team took you, and he knew he had the best.

"Sorry General, but no…Now, what I could do, is I could call my dad and the both of us could work on the Intersect so it could function properly in Bryce."

The General really hoped that Chuck would reconsider, but she relented. He had quickly become one of her best and most likeable agents. Diane had even come to respect Chuck. Having Orion improve the Intersect for Larkin wasn't a terrible idea, no matter how much Larkin irritated her. So she decided that she would be able to live with it for now.

"Very well…Now can someone update me on the Shaw situation?" The General's question was more like an order.

Bryce was waiting for this to come up. If someone didn't bring up Shaw, than he most certainly would. He didn't like failing, and even though Chuck was the cause of Daniel escaping, he still felt like he failed.

Bryce stepped up. "Yes ma'am…Shaw was present at the base, and he seemed to be rather interested in Agent Walker. He said something about the woman Sarah killed for her Red Test being his wife…"

Chuck was shocked, and he could barely hide his expression as he glanced at Sarah. She was just starring at the monitor, acting like the consummate professional, but he knew she must be upset. He still had nightmares about his Red Test, and even though Sarah was 10x the spy he was, he was certain she was hurting.

Bryce continued. "…When Team Bartowski 'rescued' us, we had a chance to capture Shaw, but Chuck let him get away."

Chuck felt a stab of pain for a split second before it went away. Technically he did let Shaw get away, but that's beside the point. He knew Bryce wasn't himself because of the faulty Intersect. Bryce still looked the same, talked the same, and carried himself the same way, but Chuck could just tell he wasn't himself. There was no mistake that Chuck wanted to empty a whole clip of tranq darts in Bryce, but what else was knew.

Surprisingly Sarah defended Chuck.

"Bryce…Chuck saved our lives."

"He let him get away Sarah. I could have gone after him."

Sarah already knew that Chuck felt inferior to Bryce when he shouldn't be, so she had to restrain herself from punching Bryce in the face at the moment.

"You were hurt Bryce. You tried to go solo, and in doing that, you put everyone at risk…Chuck did the right thing."

Bryce was about to argue but Beckman cut him off.

"Chuck, explain to me what happened."

Chuck stood up straighter in his seat and proceeded to tell his version of what happened.

"Bryce is right that I let him go, but Shaw was not my primary concern. Saving Team Intersect was our mission and we accomplished that…However, I knew the importance of Shaw so I decided to improvise…"

Chuck glanced at Carina and smiled, and she winked at him.

He continued. "…I tranqed him with my Cerebro darts." He saw all the blank stares and he rolled his eyes. "The red darts."

People still gave Chuck blank stares so he let out a huff "Really!?"

Chuck shook his head in disbelief. "No one listens to me…The red darts, aka Cerebro darts, I created with the help of Orion, contain nano bots. Once it hits its target, the bots are released into the blood stream where they could last up to two weeks give or take. Those nano bots act as a kind of tracking device that correspond with Cortana…"

Sarah's eyes narrowed. _Great another woman I have to fight through! _"Who is Cortana!?"

Casey gave an amused grunt. "Don't get you panties in a bunch Walker. Cortana is the nerd's wrist computer."

"Thank you for that Casey." The sarcasm was dripping from Chuck's tone. "Anyway, to sum it all up, I can track Shaw anywhere in the world using Cortana…I figure with one more mission where we deliver another blow to the Ring's finances, they will have no choice but to regroup…Once that happens, we can keep tabs on where Shaw goes and we'll be able to locate the Ring headquarters."

Everyone was blown away by Chuck's plan. Casey even felt more than a hint of pride for Bartowski. Bryce was a little upset he hadn't thought of that type of plan himself, but he still had to give it to his long time best friend.

The General smiled. "Nice work Chuck…I'll see what I can find on the Ring holding another party to help their finances…Once Orion gets there, contact me, I would like to speak with him about the Intersect…Good work everyone."

The General disconnected the feed like she always does…abruptly.

Chuck quickly got to work and sent a message through Cortana to his dad.

Sarah felt proud of Chuck until realization hit her.

"Chuck…did you tranq me with the red dart?"

Chuck had just sent the message to Orion when he froze hearing Sarah's question. He slowly lifted his head.

"I uh…um…Yes…but in my defense, I shot Bryce too."

Carina laughed. "Looks like you can't skip out on Chucky now Walker." Her laughter died when she realized what she said.

Tiffany shook her head. "Even I thought that joke was in bad taste Carina."

Chuck received a message back from his dad so he decided to try to end the awkwardness.

"My dad will be here tomorrow morning…Hopefully Beckman will give us our mission then and we can get started on what we need to do…I'm going to go, I'm having dinner with Ellie and Awesome."

Chuck got up and headed for the stairs.

Sarah really wanted to talk to Chuck, but decided to put it off until tomorrow. She felt she could always use more time to prepare, and if she was being honest with herself, she was terrified of how Ellie would react if she saw her at Chuck's apartment.

Unfortunately for Sarah, Tiffany seemed to have dinner plans as well.

Tiffany called out to Chuck as he ascended the stairs. "Hey Chuck, tell Ellie I'm still bringing dessert!"

"Alright Tiffany, see you later."

Tiffany smiled at Sarah and got up and left the room.

As Tiffany left, Sarah mumbled under her breath, "I really hate brunettes."

* * *

**A/N (2): Hopefully this chapter more than explains the whole tranqing fiasco. Doubt it, but a man can dream, right?**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I know, I know, I missed the deadline for my weekly update…I do apologize immensely. Holidays, family, friends, kept me pretty busy, but those are excuses…good ones I believe lol. Hopefully this big chapter gets you guys to forgive me.**

**I really hope I can get back to my weekly scheduled updates, but no promises. Inspiration has been erratic, but I will finish this story in a timely manner.**

**Special thanks to my betas JennyStone and uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 9**

**May 2010**

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

It was 2 in the morning, pitch black, his body was exhausted, but Chuck's mind wouldn't stop racing. He'd been tossing and turning in bed, trying too will himself to sleep, but it kept eluding his grasp. A small part of him worried if he went to sleep, dreams of his Red Test would occupy his mind. The rest of him was solely focused on the image of a certain beautiful, but deadly, spy.

_Everything's fine. I told her I was happy for her and Bryce and I meant it right? It doesn't matter. She's happy and I should be happy for her. Besides I'm over her…I'm over her…I'm not over her. Dammit! _

Chuck blew out a disheartened sigh as he slammed his fist into his mattress.

He got up and made his way into the kitchen to make himself some tea. He heard a noise towards the direction of his room and he quickly spun around.

"Sarah?"

Her name escaped his lips without even thinking about it. No matter how hurt he was, he wished it was her. Sadly, the noise wasn't caused by the walking heartbreaker, Sarah Walker.

Chuck's eyes widened and he quickly covered them.

"Morgan! Put on some clothes!"

Morgan quickly ran to his room, threw on a robe, and came back out.

"Sorry Chuck, you know I like to sleep au natural." He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as he took a seat at the dining room table. "Did I hear you say Sarah?"

Chuck dropped his head. _Of course he heard that. _"No"

Morgan was pretty sure he heard 'Sarah', and by the looks of his best friend, he knew he needed to bring out the heavy guns.

"Come on Chuck, talk to Dr. Morgan…Are you still not over Sarah?"

Chuck took a deep breath and walked over to the table and sat across from his bearded friend.

"Of course I am…It was just…old habits." Chuck gave a dry chuckle.

No matter how many people looked down on one Morgan Guillermo Grimes, one thing no one could argue was that he knew his best friend.

"You definitely should be…You have two hot women throwing themselves at you day in and day out, and you're still hung up on the woman who ripped your heart out!"

"Morgan look…" Chuck took a sip of his tea to try to formulate what he wanted to say. "…I don't know, I thought I was over her, but when I saw her the other day, and then we talked, it was like…"

"You what!?"

Chuck froze. _Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! _He tried to play it off.

"Wait what?"

The question threw Morgan off for a second. "What?"

Chuck thought he could just confuse Morgan into forgetting his slipup. "What?"

Morgan remained silent for a couple of seconds and Chuck thought he had successfully avoided his mistake. Suddenly, Morgan turned his head and glanced towards Chuck's room. Morgan's attention snapped back to Chuck with eyes as big as the moon.

"You said you saw her, and a couple of minutes ago, you called out her name…Is she in your room!?"

"What!?" Chuck couldn't believe what was happening. "No, don't be ridiculous."

Morgan blew out a sigh of relief. "But you did see her."

Chuck looked at the man seated across from him. His roommate, his best friend, his brother was only trying to help and all he seemed to be doing lately was hiding the truth from him. Chuck was disgusted with all of the lying he had to do ever since he returned from Prague. It wasn't as horrible as it could have been since he could talk to his team about it. Well not Casey because…he's Casey. Carina seemed to always be flirting with him, but she had her moments. Chuck thankfully had Tiffany to talk to, but lying to Ellie and Morgan still ate away at him.

_I can trust Morgan. _"I uh, yeeeaaahhh…She's in town and Sarah and her boyfriend asked for my help."

"And you said no right?"

"Weeelllllll…"

Morgan gave Chuck an incredulous stare. "You helped the woman who walked out on you. Worst yet, you helped the man that Sarah walked out on you with!?"

"Technically…yeah" Chuck's shoulders sagged. "She apologized for leaving, and I basically told her I was happy she was happy…I'm not even angry anymore. Hurt? Yes, but not angry after she apologized…Seeing her again just brings back so much…I don't know what to do."

Chuck dropped his head on the table and it bounced off surprisingly hard.

"Son of a…" Chuck rubbed his forehead.

Morgan could tell his brother from another mother was really hurting.

"Maybe we should get Ellie."

"No! Morgan, don't mention anything about this to Ellie. If she knew Sarah was here, she would blow a gasket…Promise me you won't."

"Fine, but I think she would know what to do."

Chuck gave his little buddy a thankful smile. "Thanks, but shouldn't you know what to do since, you are Dr. Morgan after all."

Morgan started to stroke his beard in contemplation. "We could play COD."

"Buddy, how would that…"

"We could imagine the people we blow up to be Sarah's boyfriend."

Chuck gave Morgan an amused smile. "I don't…Alright let's go!"

* * *

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Sharing a little truth with Morgan and blowing up imaginary Bryce's all night/morning made Chuck feel a little better. He decided after killing 'Bryce' for the 3rd time that he was going to tell Ellie and Morgan everything, but he just needed to iron out the details of when and how. Chuck definitely knew that right now wasn't the right time. He had more important things to focus on. And the fact that he was terrified of how Ellie would react didn't help him much.

Orion had arrived this morning and everyone was currently in the conference room listening to Stephen, explaining to the General through video conferencing, about something called the Governor.

Chuck had honed his situational awareness over the past year and it sure had saved his ass a time or two. At the moment, Chuck could feel Sarah glancing at him while his father was speaking to Beckman, and it unnerved him to no end. He tried focusing on what his dad was saying, and even though on the outside it looked like he was paying attention, and his eyes were glued to the monitor, his mind was certainly occupied at the moment.

_Stop looking at me! Come on use the force to make Sarah stop looking at you. Sarah, I am not the nerd you are looking…wait I don't think that works in this situation. Damn, Morgan would take away my nerd card if he were here. Ok, just focus…Sarah you will stop looking at me, right now! _

Chuck's eyes quickly darted towards Sarah and Sarah must have noticed because she quickly snapped her head towards the monitor.

Chuck sighed. _What does she want from me?_

Chuck was broken out of his introspection when he heard Beckman call his name.

"Agent Carmichael, have you been listening?"

Chock nodded "Yes General."

Diane quirked her eyebrow. "Really?"

Chuck caved. "No General."

Upon hearing the exchange, Sarah giggled. _Did I just giggle?_

Beckman turned her attention to Sarah.

"Do you find something amusing Agent Walker?"

Sarah stood up straighter. "No ma'am."

The General gave a frustrated sigh. _Great, just like old times. _

"Orion, please continue."

"Alright Diane…Well like I was saying, with the help of Charles, I will build Bryce a Governor which will essentially work to stabilize…"

Sarah tuned the rest of the conversation out. She never acted like this, but when she was around Chuck, she couldn't help it. Her mind just kept talking on and on and she couldn't shut it up.

_God I forgot how much Chuck could make me laugh. I missed that. Maybe…No, no matter how much I care about him, he's an agent now, which means he completed a Red Test like every other spy, and he isn't like he used to be! _

Sarah briefly glanced at Chuck, and even though he was facing the screen, she knew he was stuck in his own head just like she was at the moment.

_But with everything Carina has told me about him and with the way that bitch Andrews has been acting, maybe deep down he's still my Chuck. If that's the case, killing someone must be killing him inside. Maybe I could help him through it, and who knows, maybe he could help me through my crap! Carina's right, if I can't support Chuck, than I don't deserve him. I need to make him understand that I made a mistake and I need him.  
_

* * *

Orion finally finished explaining what he planned on doing, and he took Bryce to the lab to do some initial testing. That left all of Team Bartowski, including...much to Tiffany's displeasure…their newest part-time member, Agent Sarah Walker.

Once Orion left with Larkin, the General began her briefing.

"Agents, we have gathered some intel that the Ring's second in command to the Director, will be attending an art gala tonight in LA. His name is Anatoli Zevlovski, and he'll be there to meet a buyer for a deadly nerve agent the Ring has in their possession. I want you to intercept the item and place both the buyer and Anatoli under arrest. This isn't exactly the mission type you specified Carmichael, but I believe this would work just as well."

Chuck agreed. In fact, capturing the Directors right hand man might work better for his plan than his idea.

"I agree ma'am…I'm still cataloging Daniel Shaw's movements. I'll have Agent Andrews send you all the coordinates of places he's been so you can send agents to watch those areas. "

Beckman nodded "Good… Now, Colonel, you and Agent Miller will go in and pose as a married couple; as will Agents Carmichael and Walker."

Chuck's eyes suddenly went wide while Sarah's lit up.

Chuck tried to get out of the whole situation. "General I don't…"

Sarah cut him off before he could say anything else. She knew he was going to refuse, probably because he still felt hurt and awkward about the whole situation, but she wanted to pose as his wife to try and show him how much she cared for him. I mean after all, Sarah Walker was more of an 'actions speak louder than words' kind of woman.

"General, we're fine with it, but what will Agent Andrews be doing?"

Sarah's tone sounded innocent, but after she asked the question to Beckman, she looked over to Tiffany with a smirk on her face.

Tiffany just returned Sarah's smirk with a scowl, which Chuck caught.

Beckman was actually amused by what was happening. She wasn't an idiot. Diane knew Sarah was compromised by Chuck, just like she knew how compromised Agent Walker was, back when Chuck still had the Intersect. Diane wasn't as robotic like everyone painted her out to be. She was actually rooting for Chuck and Sarah, but back then the whole asset/handler thing was strictly forbidden. Beckman had to think of the interest of the whole country, instead of just two people. Even though she enjoyed them together, she had a job to do. But now, with Chuck no longer being the Intersect, and the fact that spy/spy fraternization wasn't as strict, she could secretly give them a nudge or two in the right direction.

"Ah yes, you don't quite know Agent Andrews role with this team. I'm sure your new team members can bring you up to speed…Now I don't have to worry about you and Chuck working together, do I? I expect both of you to act professionally and to act convincingly like newlyweds for the party at the art gala…Andrews; expect all the mission specs soon. If there are no more questions, good luck team."

Beckman disconnected the feed.

Chuck definitely thought there was a higher power out there taking pleasure in screwing him over. He was going to have to act affectionately with the most gorgeous woman in the world, who happens to be the one who broke his heart. _Yeah this is going to be a disaster._

Sarah was ecstatic. She would definitely be showing Chuck how she felt tonight.

Carina felt a hint of jealousy because usually, she would be the one posing as Chuck's date. Casey was no slouch, but still. In the end, she was happy if her two best friends could work out their shit. She was also highly amused with the General's actions.

The Colonel actually felt bad for Chuck. He didn't want to be partnered up with Walker and act all lovey-dovey with her, but he knew Bartowski was going to have a hard time with this. He cared for the kid, and even though Walker was the best partner he ever had, Casey was still pissed she left, and he would make sure to keep an eye on her and that rat bastard, Larkin.

Tiffany surprisingly wasn't angry. Well ok, she was, but she was more concerned than angry. She cared about Chuck, and here he was, going to play the loving husband to the woman who tore him to shreds. She definitely needed to tell the CIA skirt what's what for Chuck's benefit.

* * *

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

The art gala party was now a couple of hours away, and everyone was down in Castle dealing with last minute preparations; well everybody except for Chuck. The General had sent the mission specs awhile ago, and once they formulated a game plan and filled Sarah in on how Team Bartowski operated, he headed home.

Sarah wasn't surprised Chuck left, even after he gave some lame excuse of needing to go home because he needed to feed Morgan so he wouldn't starve. He had been avoiding her all day, not that she could blame him, but she was really getting frustrated. It's true, she planned on showing him exactly how much she missed him during the mission, but the whole; not willing to be alone with her, or not talking to her directly unless it was about mission stuff, was starting to really get on her nerves. What really drove her up the wall was the immense feeling of loneliness.

When Sarah left after Ellie's wedding, sure she felt lonely. She even felt like a part of her was missing, but being back around Chuck, and him giving her the cold shoulder, made her feel like she was the last person left on earth. It infuriated her how much Chuck could affect her. And the fact that Andrews kept throwing her the evil eye was not helping matters.

With everyone preparing for the mission, Carina brought Sarah to a room in Castle where it housed, what it seemed like, an endless supply of mission clothes. Sarah had finished getting ready quicker than Carina, so she went back to the conference room in hopes that Chuck was back. She didn't see him so she decided to wait for him there.

Tiffany was sitting down in front of the main computer when Sarah entered the room. She was completely fine with ignoring the CIA agent, but Tiffany remembered what she planned on doing for Chuck. Andrews took a breath, got out of her seat, and started walking over to the blonde.

When Sarah saw Agent Andrews heading straight towards her, she started walking and met her half way. She really didn't want to deal with Tiffany since Chuck could walk in at any moment now, but there was no way Sarah was going to show weakness to a woman who might be after Chuck too.

Sarah spoke first. "Let's cut the crap. You don't like me and I don't like you."

Tiffany scoffed. "That's an understatement. I don't like anyone who wants to hurt Chuck. You're with Larkin…What, is one man not enough for you? You have to go for Chuck too?!"

Sarah's fists clenched, but she held back the urge to reach for the blade in her knife holster that was wrapped around her thigh.

"I'm not with Bryce!"

"Really…you were never with Bryce?!"

Sarah glared and Tiffany knew she had her. "That's what I thought."

"Yes, ok! Before I met Chuck, Bryce and I were more than partners. But after meeting Chuck, I haven't been with anyone since."

"Then why'd you leave?"

Tiffany was really testing Sarah's resolve not to kill her.

"That's none of your business!"

Tiffany just shook her head. "I'm not going to stand around and let you hurt him again. So it is my business."

"You'll just use whatever I say to make sure Chuck stays away from me so you can have him all to yourself!"

A brief expression of sadness crossed Tiffany's eyes, but just as quick as it arrived, it disappeared. If Sarah wasn't one of the best, she might have missed it.

Tiffany didn't let the thought of Chuck just wanting to be friends affect her tone.

"We're just friends."

Sarah felt bad for her. Tiffany was just one of the many females to fall victim to the Charles Bartowski charm, but she wasn't going to apologize for being with Chuck. That is if he came around to the idea.

"Look I get that you're looking out for Chuck…Did I make a mistake? The biggest…but I'm here to fix that and I will make it up to him."

Sarah relaxed her clenched fists and tensed shoulders. She really needed to get focused for her upcoming mission. If she was being honest with herself, she was also just tired of all the fighting she had to do just to attempt to make things right with Chuck.

"Andrews…for what it's worth, I'm glad Chuck has someone in his life who wants to protect him as much as you do. Just know that no one is going to come between me and my Chuck."

Tiffany couldn't help the curiosity and the amusement seep into her tone.

"Your Chuck?"

Sarah smiled "My Chuck."

* * *

All the members of Team Bartowski, minus Chuck, were waiting in various spots in the conference room. It was 7pm and they had to be at the party by 9, since the intel Beckman sent over, stated the handoff was taking place around 2200. The team needed enough time for the 'couples' to mingle so they could assess the situation of the art gala.

Casey was about to dial up Bartowski when the secret entrance that led to Carmichael Industries slid open.

Chuck walked through and stepped onto the top platform of the stairs that led into Castle.

Sarah had no doubts her whole body shutdown.

Chuck wore a suit that looked like it was tailored made for him. His single-breasted, dark charcoal colored coat, hung off his broad shoulders perfectly. The black tie, which was the only thing that didn't look perfect since it wasn't tied on correctly, contrasted his stark white dress shirt excellently. Chuck's matching colored slacks were form fitting as it hung loosely off his torso, but not too loosely. His hair was arranged in a way to give him a dignified look, but was still long and curly enough to make Sarah ache with desire to run her hands through it. The only thing that Sarah could find fault in was his shoes, and that was even a bit of a stretch in itself. Gone were his famous Chucks that he wore everywhere. Shiny black dress shoes were now in its place.

Chuck's eyes were drawn to the most breathtaking sight he could ever imagine. Unbeknownst to him as well as Sarah, since she was still mesmerized by the sight of him, a huge smile was threatening to break his face in half.

Sarah was leaning on the conference table wearing a soft blue strapless evening gown that complimented her beryl colored eyes. The dress was elegant in its own right while still not leaving much to the imagination. The dress hugged Sarah's body in all the right places, accentuating her every curve. The dress stopped around her ankles exposing her nude colored high heels. The beautiful gown also had a slit coming up to about mid-thigh which Chuck figured would be around the same place where her knives would be.

The starring contest that was going on between Walker and Bartowski was dragging on forever so Casey decided to get things going. The Colonel cleared his throat rather loudly which seemed to do the trick.

Sarah all of a sudden found the table to be very interesting while Chuck descended the stairs, taking them one step at a time while he tried to regain his composure.

Chuck got to the bottom and stood in front of his team.

"Everyone ready?"

Casey wasn't one to miss an opportunity to needle Bartowski.

"We've been ready moron. We were just waiting on your skinny ass."

Sarah shot the Colonel an icy glare.

Chuck ignored the shot and continued.

"Hope everyone stocked up on tranqs because we are not going to use live ammunition unless absolutely necessary. We are to intercept the package and capture Anatoli alive."

Casey grunted. "Way to ruin my fun Bartowski."

Sarah was desperately holding back the urge to go up to Chuck and fix his tie while running her hands up and down his chest. Oddly enough, that was one of the little things in life she loved to do. But Chuck was addressing his team, so she didn't want to interrupt. She quickly came to regret her decision to wait to fix his stupid tie.

Tiffany walked up to Chuck and started fixing said tie.

"Don't worry about Casey Chuck. You know how much he loves you."

Chuck smiled at Tiffany. "I know."

Casey growled.

After Tiffany finished with the tie, Chuck took a step back.

"Alright everyone start packing up. I'm going to the armory to grab more tranqs…Tiffany can you come with me?"

The request got confused looks from everyone, but Tiffany just shrugged it off and followed Chuck to the armory.

Chuck had his back to Tiffany while he loaded extra magazines into a duffle bag.

She was starting to get worried so she decided to ask.

"Is everything ok Chuck?"

Chuck dropped the bag onto the floor and turned around. He gave her a sad but appreciative smile.

"Tiffany, I know what you've been doing, and…I appreciate it and all, but you need to stop."

She knew what he was talking about, but if Chuck wanted her to stop, then he would need to come right out and say it.

"What do you mean Chuck?"

Chuck chuckled. "Fine…I know you don't like Sarah, but can you please stop giving her such a hard time and be nice to her? She's going to be a part of this team for who knows how long, and I don't want to keep worrying if you two are trying to kill each other whenever I'm not around."

"But Chhuuuuuccckkk..."

He always found it adorable when Tiffany drew out his name and pouted like a small child.

"Please…for me?" He gave her the always potent puppy dog eyes.

"Fine"

Tiffany shook her head in annoyance. _If he only knew the power behind that look._

Chuck gave one of his patented smiles. He grabbed the duffle bag and before they left, he kissed her on the cheek.

When they both got back to the conference room, they were surprised to see Sarah waiting there.

Sarah gave a shy smile "Can't leave without my husband."

Chuck gave a weak smile in return that looked more like a grimace. _Let the torture begin._

Sarah looped her arm around Chuck and they ascended the stairs.

Tiffany called up to them as they were climbing the steps.

"Come home safely…The both of you."

Sarah turned her head and gave a genuine smile towards Andrews while Chuck mouthed 'Thank you' to Tiffany.

* * *

**Los Angeles **

**Art Gala**

The two couples split up the moment they entered the building so they could cover more ground while they scouted the place.

Sarah was happy. The last time she was remotely happy was at Ellie's wedding, before she made that stupid decision to succumb to her fears. But here she was; walking around the art gala, snuggled up into Chuck, 'pretending' to be madly in love with him.

The mission was small potatoes as far as she was concern. Intercepting a deadly nerve agent and arresting both parties involved in the purchase of said nerve agent? No problem.

The fact that even though it was such a simple task, Chuck had warned his team to be careful, only added to what she already knew. She couldn't live without him.

Tiffany told all four agents that Anatoli wasn't scheduled to arrive for another half an hour or so, so Sarah decided to get the ball rolling on her side mission; Operation Get Chuck Bartowski Back!...Not the most eloquent of names, but appropriate.

Sarah quickly stepped in front of Chuck and turned to face him.

"Come on Chuck let's dance."

Chuck lent in to whisper in her ear. "Sarah we need to focus and keep an eye out for Anatoli."

She smiled. "We can do that while we take a spin on the dance floor."

Sarah yanked Chuck hard towards the designated dance floor.

He was caught so off guard by Sarah's rather austere tug, that he yelped.

"Who's your mama?!"

Sarah smiled as she dragged Chuck to the dance floor. She remembered the last time he said that, and not for the first time, she was wishing she could have it all back.

When they got to a nice open spot, Sarah turned and clung onto Chuck's body as tight as she could. Thankfully a slow jazz song was playing at the moment or else it would have been just plain awkward; not that she would have cared.

Chuck was swaying with Sarah in his arms trying with every fiber of his being to stay professional. His eyes kept darting throughout the room for signs of anything suspicious, but all he wanted to do was to place a kiss on her temple and take a big whiff of her vanilla scented golden locks.

He praised the heavens above when the song ended and a more up-tempo styled song started blasting through the speakers. Chuck figured with the change of song that they could stop dancing and get back to work, but he was unfortunately wrong.

When Chuck tried to detach the barnacle that was stuck to him, Sarah just span a perfect 180 degrees and pressed her back flush into Chuck's body.

She really wanted to show Chuck exactly how much she 'missed' him and the fast paced song gave her a way to do exactly that. She grounded her hips into his nether region, and she was rewarded with the mix sounds of Chuck's groans/moans.

"Sarah please stop…" Deep down he didn't want her to stop. He was enjoying the feeling of Sarah freaking Walker grinding into him, but that was the problem. He couldn't think straight, and another part of his body was starting to make his presence known.

Sarah was actually getting quite aroused herself.

"Don't worry Chuck its good for the cover."

Sarah meant to say it in a teasing way, but her mind was practically melting with the feeling of rubbing up against Chuck, so it just came out ragged. Either way it was the wrong thing to say.

Chuck's grip on Sarah's hips tightened slightly.

_Of course! Why did I think this little performance was anything but for the job? She has to know what she's doing though…well two can play this game!_

Chuck pulled Sarah in tighter to his body, much to her surprise, and his lips attacked her neck.

Sarah's whole body shuddered as she felt a sense of euphoria. She was shocked that Chuck would do such a thing, but that didn't mean she didn't love it though.

Chuck was kissing agonizingly slow down her neck when he heard a slight hitch in Sarah's breath. He knew he found the right spot so he attacked it for all it's worth. He took a nip at that point in her neck which was then followed by slight suction.

Sarah was thankful that Chuck had a firm grip on her hips because if he were to let go at that instance, she would be hitting the floor; her jelly legs being unable to support her.

Of course, Chuck being Chuck, no matter how amazing it felt making Agent Walker react the way she was, he felt guilty.

It was no secret how he felt about Bryce. He loathed the male model. And who can blame him? Bryce got Chuck kicked out of Stanford. Larkin then sent him the Intersect after claiming Chuck didn't belong in the spy world. The Intersect in turn brings Sarah Walker into Chuck's life, and we all know how that turns out…

But as much as he disliked his ex-friend, he felt ashamed at what he was doing at the moment, no matter how good it felt.

_What am I doing? I'm messing around with someone else's girlfriend! True, Bryce did take her from…Wait…She was always with Bryce first, and she was never with me. It was all a job to her. Something can't be taken from you when it was never yours to begin with, and Sarah's heart always belonged to Bryce. SON-OF-A-BITCH!_

When Chuck removed his lips from her perfect milky skin, he couldn't help but to give one last kiss.

The moment his lips left contact with her skin, she felt like an addict who needed another fix.

"Chuck please don't stop." She sounded slightly needy, and honestly a little desperate, but she wanted him so badly at the moment.

He brought his lips to her ear. "Look I think we did enough cover work; we need to focus. The faster we get this done, the sooner I can get back to helping my dad with the Governor. And the faster you will get to be where you want to be…by Bryce's side."

Sarah turned around and looked Chuck directly in the eyes.

"That's never where I wanted to be."

Chuck's face had a mixture of hope and confusion in it.

"Then why did you…"

Tiffany's voice cut through their earpieces.

"Heads up guys, Anatoli and what seems like three body guards just arrived."

Chuck brought Sarah's hand up to his face giving it, what looked like to outside observers, a rather long kiss. As he kissed Sarah's hand, he activated his watch mic and spoke to the rest of his team.

"Casey, Carina, we should lay back and wait for the buy to actually take place. After the exchange, Sarah and I will go after Anatoli and his men while you two procure the buyers."

Carina responded "Got it."

Sarah was surprised. Here she was, ready to explain to Chuck how she didn't leave to be with Bryce, but because she was too afraid of change, and she wasn't willing to take the chance of Chuck leaving her. Even with Tiffany's unwelcome interruption, if you were to tell Sarah that Chuck had the opportunity to discuss Sarah's personal life, but he passed it over for a mission instead, she would have laughed in your face. But here he was, focusing on the mission at hand.

On the one hand, it only reinforced her beliefs that he changed. On the other, was it such a bad change? Chuck was a spy, and she couldn't do anything to change that, so him focusing on the mission instead of being distracted meant he would be safer.

Chuck pulled Sarah back into him. "Target at your 7"

Sarah turned deadly focused. She wasn't going to be responsible for the failure of this mission, let alone getting Chuck hurt.

"Let's get a drink shall we?"

Chuck smiled and let Sarah loop her arm through his while he led her to the drinks where their target was at the moment.

Everywhere Anatoli and his goons went, somewhere not too far off was the adorable looking newlyweds, The Charles's. At times, they would pass their surveillance duties off to Casey and Carina to not arouse suspicion.

20 minutes later, the buyers showed up and the exchange took place. Anatoli, with his three guards behind him, looked to be discussing something with a Caucasian man who had five bodyguards behind him, near the entrance of the kitchen.

Casey and Carina were on the opposite side of the room from Chuck and Sarah, waiting for the two groups to separate so they could pounce.

All of a sudden, an idea popped into Chuck's head.

"Sarah I think Anatoli and his men might try a quick getaway through the kitchen after the exchange. Stay here, I'm going to go around back to head them off. After they enter the kitchen follow them so we can trap them in the back alley."

Sarah shook her head vehemently. "No Chuck, don't be foolish. I agree with your plan, but I'll go around back and you stay close to Casey and Carina."

Chuck looked at Sarah with hurt and annoyance in his eyes. "I'm capable of taking care of myself you know."

Sarah didn't want to deal with Chuck's childish emotions right now. She needed him safe.

"Just because you're a spy doesn't make you invincible."

"I know that!" Chuck had raised his voice slightly which drew some slight attention.

Casey's voice came through the earpieces.

"Will you two shut-it! You're attracting attention to yourselves."

Sarah moved around a corner a couple feet behind her so she was slightly hidden from view. She couldn't see Chuck at the moment, but she was still able to keep an eye on the exchange. Sarah just figured Chuck was right where she left him, cooling off.

"Casey, I'm going to go around back to get Anatoli and his men, make sure you and Carina keep a close eye on Chuck."

Carina was the one to respond. "Walker, if you haven't figured it out yet, he can take care of himself…besides, Chucky left out the back already."

Sarah quickly rounded the corner, and sure enough, Chuck was nowhere to be seen. What was worst was the fact that Anatoli had now made the exchange and the buyers were already heading towards the exit in the front of the building where Casey and Carina were set to swoop in when they got to a secluded area.

The buyers had already left a couple of minutes ago and Anatoli and his Ring lackeys haven't moved from their spot.

Sarah was starting to worry.

Casey's voice crackled through her earpiece.

"Walker! Let Carmichael handle the Ring agents, we're pinned down, we need support!"

Sarah didn't know what to do.

"Casey I can't leave Chuck by himself…"

"We can't let them get away with this bio weapon. Have faith in the moron, he'll be fine!"

Sarah was rooted in her spot unable to move.

Chuck's voice through her ear gave her the final push to make a decision.

"Sarah, go and help our team; I'll be fine, trust me!"

Sarah spun around and bolted for the front doors, getting directions from Tiffany to where Carina and Casey were while she ran.

When Sarah got to the scene, it was a plain and simple shoot out.

Casey and Carina apparently felt there wasn't a point to use the tranqs anymore since they were using live ammunition. Even with the use of real bullets, the buyers had Casey and Carina pinned down inside an alley.

The buyers could have already escaped with their nerve agent in their possession, but apparently they wanted to eliminate all oppositions first. Sarah wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

With their backs turned practically spraying the alley full of bullets, they were easy pickings for Sarah. Since there was no need for her Smith & Wesson's, she decided to use her tranq pistol instead; a part of her also hoping to make Chuck proud.

With deadly precision she stuck the back of the two guards left and their boss with 2 darts each.

Sarah saw the three guys she shot swaying on their feet so she knew the darts had the desired effect. She didn't even wait for them to hit the ground, Sarah just took off her heels and started sprinting back to where she would hopefully find an alive and unharmed Chuck.

When she got to the alley behind the art gala, she stopped dead in her tracks and was surprised at what she saw.

On the floor, face down, were Anatoli and the three other Ring agents. Chuck was off to the side leaning against the wall for what seemed like support.

Sarah could tell Chuck wasn't alright so she rushed to his side.

"Chuck are you alright, talk to me."

Chuck turned his face towards her, revealing a cut lip, and gave her a weak smile.

"I'm fine...are Casey and Carina alright?"

"They're fine I promise. Now hold still so I can check you out."

Sarah tried to put her hand on either side of his face but he kept batting them down. She didn't care what he wanted at the moment. She needed to make sure he was ok.

When she placed her hand on his body, he flinched rather harshly.

"Chuck, you're hurt! We need to get you to a hospital!"

He just rolled his eyes. "I'm fine Sarah just some slight bruising."

Sarah ignored him and contacted Tiffany.

"Andrews we need a medical team on site for Chuck."

That simple request seemed to break the floodgates.

Tiffany was instantly on edge.

"What...Is Chuck alright!?"

Carina's voice was now audible through the earpieces "What's happened to Chuck!?"

Casey's just gave a concerned grunt through the device.

Chuck couldn't believe it. He needed to stop this before this snowballed.

He hit the button on his watch and spoke. "Everybody relax! I'm fine, Sarah is just overreacting…Now Andrews, call in a cleanup crew if you haven't done so already."

All three women started speaking at once which started to give Chuck a massive headache.

"FINE! Sarah, you and Carina will stay here and await the arrival of the cleanup crew. Casey will take me to the ER to get checked out ok?"

Sarah was not pleased. "Why can't I go with you?"

Chuck just gave her a knowing look and she relented.

She wasn't going with him to the hospital, but at least he was going.

Chuck keyed his watch mic once more. "Casey, meet me at the car."

Casey just started walking towards the car, muttering to himself, "Everyone has gone insane because of a nerd!"

* * *

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Chuck only suffered minor injuries. A few bruises here, and a few bumps there. The worst damage the fight with the four Ring agents produced was a few cracked ribs. The doctor ended up wrapping his body with bandages like a mummy.

When he got down to Castle with Casey in tow early next morning, he was expecting to be swarmed by the three crazy beautiful…and I mean that they're crazy and beautiful…agents. Chuck was surprised, and if he was honest with himself, a little disappointed that they were nowhere to be found. Chuck wasn't that type of guy, but who wouldn't get a little pleasure out of feeling wanted?

He was just about to ask Casey where everybody was when Carina walked in looking quite guilty if you asked him.

Carina ran to Chuck and gave him a hug, which elicited a wince from him.

"Oh sorry, sorry…I'm glad you're ok."

Chuck tried to look into Carina's eyes. But she apparently wasn't having any part of it.

"What did you do?"

Carina laughed. "Nothing"

"Carina, I know you…you're up to something."

She tried to get him off her scent.

"Oh, by the way…don't overreact or something, but when you left, one of the goons woke up and caught us off guard. I'm perfectly fine but Sarah got hurt. She's fine but a little banged up."

Chuck's mind quickly went to the worst case scenario even with Carina saying Sarah was fine.

"What, where is she!?"

"Relax Chucky, she's resting up in holding cell #2."

Chuck didn't respond. He just took off towards the holding cells.

When Chuck was out of earshot, Casey grunted.

"This better work Carina."

"Come on Sugar Bear, trust me."

* * *

Chuck got to the cell as fast as he could and saw Sarah lying face down on the cot. He walked up to her and gently shook her shoulders.

"Sarah…Sarah are you ok?" he whispered.

Sarah's hand shot out and griped his neck, which caused Chuck to start chocking. When she realized whose neck it was she had in her hand, she quickly released.

"Oh my god Chuck, I'm so sorry!"

She tried sitting upright, but found it difficult since she was a little groggy. She knew the feeling of the after affects all too well.

"Carina said you were hurt, are you ok?"

Sarah had a puzzled look on her face. "Hurt?"

She checked herself over but found nothing.

"I'm fine…Wait, how are you? What did the doctor say?"

"Just a couple cracked ribs…"

Sarah's hands flew to her mouth and she gasped.

Chuck smiled at how adorable she was when she was concerned about him.

"…I'm fine I promise…but what's going on here? If you're fine, why did Carina say different? And why were you here sleeping?"

The door to the holding cell slid closed and locked shut.

Carina moved in front of the see through door.

"I can answer that."

Sarah got up and quickly made her way to the door, banging her fists on it.

"You bitch, you tranqed me!"

Chuck laughed which resulted in an icy glare from the CIA agent.

He couldn't help it. Yes, he felt bad, but now-a-days, it seemed like everybody was tranqing her. The Ring had done it, hell he had done it twice, and now Carina was added onto the list. Was it insensitive? Yes, but he had his reasons, and maybe Carina did too. But he had a feeling he wasn't going to like Carina's justifications.

Carina spoke. "Both of you nearly costed us the mission. The two of you need to sit there and talk about whatever you guys need to talk about. You'll stay locked up until you work everything out, so I suggest you guys get started."

Chuck scoffed. "You really think I can't get out of here? Cortana…"

Carina cut him off. "Of course you can Chuck, but if you guys do get out; Casey, Tiffany, or I will just tranq you and drag you both here again. Next time however, you both will be chained down…So what's it going to be?"

Sarah had a nervous look in her eye as she pleaded to her long time friend.

"Carina…maybe, if Chuck doesn't want to…"

Carina had no intentions of Sarah getting out of this one. It was time to put up or shut up really.

"No you don't Walker. You're not getting out of this one. You need to tell him, he deserves to hear what you need to say."

With that Carina turned and left.

Sarah blew out a huge sigh and turned around to look at Chuck who was sitting on the cot.

Chuck had no idea why she looked so…scared?

"Sarah is everything ok?"

Sarah walked over and sat next to him. She wasn't ready to start such a heavy conversation, so she deflected.

"Remember the last time we were locked up in a cell together?"

Chuck smiled at the memory.

"How could I forget? Roark had my father and Casey had just arrested us. And I asked if we could request a two bed two bath cell."

"Two bed?"

Chuck's grin slightly widened before it fell off completely. He couldn't look at her anymore because along with that great memory, he also remembered the events that preceded it, especially Barstow.

He tried to get away from the walk down memory lane.

"So uh…what exactly do I deserve to hear from you?"

Sarah just started biting on her lower lip.

* * *

Carina and Casey were in the conference room watching the live video feed of Chuck and Sarah, with no audio of course.

"5 bucks says the moron starts crying."

Carina smirked. "I'll definitely take that. Chuck will definitely make Walker shed tears first."

Just then Tiffany walked in looking all pissed off.

"What the hell, you guys told me Chuck would be at home resting!"

Tiffany looked at the computer screen and saw the images of Chuck and Sarah.

"What's going on?"

Carina looked at Casey and he just shrugged. Since the Colonel wasn't going to explain, apparently she had too.

"We locked Chuck and Sarah in a room so they could work out their differences."

That got a concerned look from the brunette.

Carina sighed. "Look Tiffany, I know you have feelings for Chuck, but they belong together."

"I just don't want him to get hurt."

"Neither do I, and no matter how any of us feel about it, those two together is what's best for both of them."

Tiffany just looked straight into Carina's eyes.

"And you're ok with Chuck being with her?"

Carina thought about it for a second. "Yeah…I accepted the fact that Chuck wasn't going to love anyone as much as he would blondie a while ago."

A part of Tiffany always knew that she would never be with Chuck romantically. She always hoped maybe someday, but deep down she knew he would never be over Sarah. Tiffany realized that she had to accept the fact that Chuck and Walker would end up being together and not fight against it, because it was better to have Chuck in her life then not at all. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to look out for him.

"You sure this is for the best?"

Carina nodded, and for the first time Casey spoke up.

"You going to be ok with this?"

The two female agents looked at the Colonel incredulously.

Casey looked affronted. "I wasn't hatched."

Tiffany laughed, but it died down when a thought occurred to her.

"We need to find Bryce to make sure he won't mess anything up."

Carina had a huge grin on her face as she pulled out a tranq pistol.

"He's taking a little nap as we speak…Chuck's right, using tranq darts are helpful."

* * *

They've been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes. It seemed to have become a common thing for them lately.

Chuck didn't want to say anything because he thought Sarah just needed time to work up to whatever she needed to say, but this was getting ridiculous. She had been just sitting there, nibbling on her lip. True, it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen, and he wished he could be the one biting on her lips, but that's beside the point.

Chuck took her left hand in his right and gave it a light squeeze to try to calm her down.

"Sarah, relax. What's going on?"

Sarah turned her body so she was facing him, and she took his free hand into hers.

"Chuck I didn't leave to be with Bryce."

His eyes widened. "What?"

"Chuck…"

* * *

**A/N (2): Again, sorry for the delay, but hopefully it was worth it?**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I'm not going to lie; uplink2 really saved my bacon on this chapter. The first draft of this felt completely off, then he worked his magic, and now I feel a ton better. So thankful to have him as a beta, and we should all be thankful we have him in this Chuckverse FF. You my friend are Awesome!**

**I would also like to thank a guest reviewer. I appreciate all reviews, but since this person is a guest, well, I'll thank you on here since I can't PM you. I'm completely floored that you think this story is one of the best, to put it in your words, "if Sarah left" stories. There are so many damn great stories out there that it's hard for me to believe your opinion, but I respect it none-the-less lol. **

**Thank you everyone for your kind words.**

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 10**

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

"Chuck I didn't leave to be with Bryce."

His eyes widened. "What?"

"Chuck…"

She inhaled sharply. As much as this conversation terrified her, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that this was a pivotal moment in her life. If she ever wanted to be with Chuck, she had to conquer her fears. Sarah needed to bare her soul to the man seated across from her in hopes that not only would he accept her, but Chuck wouldn't leave as well.

"…After Ellie's wedding, when I left, it wasn't to be with Bryce…"

Chuck knew he shouldn't interrupt, but his head was absolutely spinning. "But…"

"…Chuck please let me finish. If I have to stop, than I might lose what little courage I have left."

Chuck understood how difficult this was for her, so he just nodded and gave both her hands, which were still linked with his, a reassuring squeeze.

"I know what it looked like, and I admit that I didn't handle the whole situation as well as I could have…"

Chuck snorted which resulted in a slightly indignant stare from the beautiful bomb shell.

"Sorry"

"No, don't be, I have no right to be angry…It's just…the day I left you was the biggest mistake of my life. I should have never left, but the least I could have done was told you that the reasons for me leaving had nothing to do with Bryce. You should know that after meeting you, I haven't been with anyone else, including him."

That got a small smile from Chuck. Seeing this, Sarah felt a little more courage build as she took a breath and plowed forward.

"That day, I convinced myself that I had a lot of good reasons for leaving. I thought I had to leave to keep you safe. I thought I had to leave because you deserved better, which by the way I still think you do. I thought I had to leave because it was my duty. But all of those reasons were just superficial rationalizations…I realized that the real reason was because I was afraid."

Sarah could see Chuck struggling to keep quiet, so she took pity on him.

"Go ahead."

Chuck exploded in an effort to lighten the mood a little. "But you're the great Sarah Walker! What do you have to be afraid of!?"

She shook her head and gave him a sad smile.

"I'm not as great as you think, and that's the problem. I was scared that if I stayed with you, you would end up realizing how fucked up I was. You yourself told me I could never be normal. I was afraid that you would realize that I can never give you what you deserve and you would leave me behind like every other person in my life has."

"Sarah, do you realize that what you did to me was exactly what you were afraid of me doing to you?"

She lowered her head. "I never thought of that."

Chuck tilted her head up with his finger under her chin. "Look at me."

Nervously, her eyes met his, and what she saw took her breath away. Bottomless warm chocolate eyes with a mixture of love, understanding, pain, and fear were on full display. She could always tell how Chuck was feeling from his eyes alone, and the fact that she was the cause for how he was feeling at the moment, made her both want to hold her breath so she wouldn't move and break the spell, and run away from the scrutiny of his gaze all at the same time.

"Sarah, I'm not going to lie, what you did damn near killed me. But I know what you were afraid of. I felt the pain of abandonment too many times in my life."

He gave her a reassuring smile and continued.

"Nobody's perfect Sarah, but no matter what you do, you'll always be perfect in my eyes…I think that's why I'm still in love with you…I don't think I could ever stop."

Sarah was using all she had to hold back the tears, but she was fighting a losing battle as a drop escaped her shut eyelids and slid down her cheek to fall on one of her outstretched arms.

She shook her head to try to dispel the tears.

"I don't deserve you…you're too good for me."

Chuck released her hands and turned his body so he wasn't facing her completely anymore.

The moment she felt the loss of her soul mates hands, her full bag of insecurities hit her all at once.

_He's finally realized it! I actually helped him figure out how screwed up I am and that he can do sooooo much better! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!...What the hell am I going to do now? I have nothing...I can't lose him! But how could he ever be with a monster like me?_

Chuck glanced over at Sarah and saw the far away, 'freaking out' look she had on her face. He knew that look all too well. Hell, he was fairly certain he created that look. To his credit, he did exactly what Sarah needed.

"Sarah, you just don't know how great you are. It's me who doesn't deserve you…I'm not the same man you knew. I killed…"

Chuck dropped his head in his hands.

Sarah was thankful for the brief reprieve from her insecurities. She knew Chuck tried to distract her from her own malicious thoughts by putting the focus on him…He always knew the right thing to say or do to make her feel better, and that's one of the reasons she loved him. Sarah finally realized that nothing should, or could change that.

She could tell he was hurting, so she was ok with shifting the conversation to him so that she could try to be the strong emotional rock for a change.

She inched a little closer and started to run her left hand through his curls.

_God this feels so good! _"Chuck, its' ok, talk to me."

It felt so good having Sarah massaging his scalp that he had no intention of having her stop. But as good as it felt, it couldn't take away the torment he felt every time he thought back to his Red Test.

He hadn't found anyone yet he felt comfortable enough with to discuss that fateful day. He hadn't found them because it was always meant to be Sarah.

"I'm sure you know all about Red Tests…"

Sarah didn't know what to say so she stayed silent as she continued to stroke his hair. Luckily, Chuck apparently didn't expect a response since he continued to talk.

"…Mine took place in Newport, Rhode Island. His name was Patrick Tate and he was a CIA agent secretly working for the Ring…I followed him down an alley where he got the jump on me, and we struggled for a bit. He fell to the floor and I quickly withdrew my gun to gain the upper hand. I pointed the gun at him, but…I just, I couldn't…"

Chuck took a quick breather and Sarah desperately wanted to wrap him in her arms to keep all the evils of the world at bay. She was terrified of this happening. She didn't want Chuck to change, but more importantly, she was afraid of all the pain and suffering this job entails. This business can really test a person's boundaries and chip away at someone's soul, bit by bit till there's nothing left. And there needed to be more people like Chuck in this world. More people like the sweet, kind-hearted, gullible…almost to a fault…nerd from Burbank. It absolutely broke her heart to see him in such pain.

Once he composed himself, he continued.

"…I decided to place him under arrest, but he pulled his back-up piece and shot me."

Sarah unknowingly clenched her fists, tightly gripping chocolate curls in her hand, the moment she heard Chuck say he was shot.

"OW, Sarah, Sarah too tight!"

That seemed to snap her out of her frozen demeanor, but it did nothing to temper her anger as she released her hold on his beloved curls.

"You weren't going to kill him and that SON-OF-A-BITCH shot you!"

He held his hands up to her to try to plicate the situation.

"Relax Sarah, I'm fine. The bullet didn't even penetrate my vest; it just resulted in me passing out."

There was no doubt, at the moment, she wanted to find a dozen Ring agents to take her anger out on, but some of the things he was saying weren't adding up.

"Wait, if you passed out when he shot you, does that mean he's still alive? How are you an agent if you didn't kill him?"

"When Tate fired, I fired my gun out of reflex. When I came to…Well I…It was a kill shot, right through the heart."

Sarah could see the distraught written all over his face, but after hearing about what happened with his Red Test, she was relieved, and happy he was alive. A smile was forming on her face before she even realized.

Chuck saw the smile and was clearly confused.

"Sarah, why are you smiling? I killed someone in cold blood. I'm a murderer!"

She cupped his face in her hands as she looked directly into his deep, bottomless, warm eyes.

"No Chuck, you're not. Tate was a bad guy who hurt a lot of good people. You gave him a chance by trying to arrest him, but he took advantage of your mercy and tried to kill you. You didn't kill him in cold blood, you were only protecting yourself…and I'm glad you did, otherwise I wouldn't be holding you in my hands right this moment."

"But Sarah…"

"No Chuck…Do you think I'm a murderer? I've killed more people than I can count. Is that how you see me, as a monster?"

Any worries she had were quickly dispelled by Chuck's reaction.

He grabbed her hands around his face and held on for dear life.

"Of course not! I could never think that about you!"

"Then what makes you so special? Why is it that when you kill someone…in self defense mind you… you're a murderer, but when I do it, I'm not?"

Chuck's mouth opened so he could begin to explain his reasoning, but for the life of him he couldn't think of a response.

"Chuck, you did what you had to do. By stopping Tate, you probably saved the lives of, I don't know how many people. You definitely saved the life of the one person that matters the most to me."

Chuck being Chuck, that statement flew completely over his head.

"Who's that?"

Sarah smiled and shook her head in an amused manner.

"You, moron."

"Jeez Sarah, hanging out with Casey a little too much aren't we?"

That caused the both of them to break out in a little bit of laughter as the heavy atmosphere in the room lightened significantly.

Sarah knew Chuck though, and she knew he probably wasn't completely convinced.

"I didn't help much did I? You still feel like you were wrong in what you did, don't you?"

"No, you really did help, but…a part of me will always feel ashamed of what I've done, whether it was the right choice or not. Thankfully he was the only one, but that's still one too many."

"And that's one of the reasons why you're so special. From now on Chuck, you leave that part of the job to me, Casey, and Carina."

"Thanks…it really helps to have a person to talk about this stuff with."

"Why haven't you talked to Carina, Tiffany, or even Casey about this?"

"I tried but…it just never felt right you know? It never felt like whenever we used to talk."

They gave each other a small smile.

"If…if you want to talk about your Red Test…"

Sarah's smile was replaced with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…we don't have to if…"

"No, it's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just that, that Test was the worst moment in my life. It's always been difficult to think about, let alone talk about it out loud."

Chuck nodded and was about to change the subject, since he didn't expect Sarah to want to talk about her past, when she surprised him.

"I didn't know who she was. I definitely didn't know she was the wife of the once CIA agent Daniel Shaw…It…It took place in Paris. She was walking down a street and I started walking towards her, ready to ki- terminate her, but she dropped a piece of jewelry and I just walked by because I couldn't do it…I saw in a reflection that she reached for something in her bag. I thought it was a weapon so I turned and fired."

Sarah had been shedding more tears lately than she had been ever since she was a little girl, so she wasn't surprised when more tears threatened to spill.

"Hey, come on. Just like you told me, you were only defending yourself."

"But that's the thing Chuck, I never did find out if she was pulling out a weapon, I didn't have enough time to go back to check…No, that's not true. Honestly…I've never wanted to admit this, but the main reason I didn't go back to see if she had a weapon wasn't because I didn't have enough time. She was only a couple feet from me, I could have easily checked her over and left before the police came. I was just too afraid to go over and look in her bag, just to find out she didn't have anything."

Chuck collected her in his arms and embraced her, which seemed to break the damn, as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"It's ok Sarah. I promise it will all be ok."

Between sobs she said, "I didn't know who she was or what her name was. I was just given a photo and the time and place to be there."

"Hey, listen to me ok. We'll get through this together, I promise."

Sarah felt so safe in his arms, and she felt like a weight had been lifted after confessing her sins to the only man who knew, and loved, the girl behind the beautiful agent façade.

She felt so serene in his arms while he stroked her hair and cooed sweet nothings in her ear. As blissful as she felt, she couldn't help but notice that he said 'We'll get through this', so she decided to ask.

"Does that mean you forgive me, and we can finally be together?"

She sounded so innocent and hopeful. Kind of like a 5 year old girl asking her father if he could skip work to play with her.

Chuck sighed. He really wanted to say that everything was fixed between them to make her feel better, but he couldn't lie, not about this.

He detached from her and held her away at arms' length as he looked into her red puffy, but still gorgeous, eyes.

"Sarah, this talk has been great…You explaining why you left, then the both of us sharing difficult truths in our lives…but it doesn't erase what you did. I hate that I have them, but I still have these insecurities. You abandoned me just like my parents, and even Bryce. Granted, my father and Bryce have explained to me why they did what they did, but that doesn't make what they've done any less hurtful…You explained why you left, and I get it, I really do, but it still doesn't change the fact that you abandoned me…I do want to be with you, but it's just going to take some time for me to open my heart completely to a point where I actually believe you won't leave me again…where I won't be afraid when I wake up in bed one morning and find the spot next to me, empty.

Sarah, I trusted you, and when you left, I felt like you just had been playing me so the Intersect would cooperate. And when it was removed, it was like you just threw me away because I didn't matter anymore. The fact that you left with Bryce 'effin' Larkin made it hurt all the more."

Chuck shifted a little closer to her in hopes that his ever nearing presence showed her he still wanted her here. He wanted her home.

"Sarah, I want to be able to trust you again, but it's not going to happen overnight after one amazing talk. It'll take some time, and I hope you understand that."

She didn't like it, but she had to respect the fact that he was still hurting and give him time, right? But she wanted him badly, and she didn't know if she could stop herself. Either way, Sarah was going to get Chuck to trust her with his heart by any means necessary, or she was going to die trying.

"I understand."

"Just be patient with me Sarah. I do love you. I always have."

She smiled. "I can be patient with you, if you are with me."

"Deal"

Figuring they had been through the emotional wringer enough for one day, Chuck got up and headed for the door.

"I think it's safe to say that we're ready to get out of here. I'll just contact Carina."

Sarah stood up and faced him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh?"

"I get that you want to take this slow Chuck, but I've been waiting far too long for this."

"Sarah what are you…"

Sarah grabbed a fistful of Chuck's shirt and pulled him in close as she crashed her lips into his.

The kiss started off full of raw wanton lust. Sarah had gone too long without the taste of his lips, and she wanted to quell her hunger. But after a few seconds, the kiss shifted from animalistic to passionate, loving, and full of tenderness. The jolts of electricity flowing through their flesh, was ever so present. It wasn't about what they wanted anymore it was about what they needed. And what they both needed was each other.

Chuck was caught off guard by the kiss, and to be honest, it ticked him off at first. Sure, it felt fantastic, and she tasted deliciously, but he had just got done saying how it was going to take some time for him to trust her again. That pinch of ire died quickly the moment the kiss changed. When that happened, he wouldn't be able to say, but he knew the kiss was different. It was life-altering. It was special. It was…them.

Chuck, much to both of their disappointment, pulled her off of him. He knew they needed to slow down, and to be honest, he wasn't ready to fully forgive her just yet. Chuck was surprised to find the dazed look that was evident on his face reflected on her features as well.

After he regained his normal breathing patterns and a somewhat reasonable heart rate, he spoke.

"As great as that was Sarah, and it was…WOW…remember the conversation we just had?"

"I'll tell you what Chuck…" A mischievous grin graced her features. She loved the taste of him, and she had no intentions of starving herself of him. "…From time to time, I'm going to be doing certain things to you, and if you tell me to stop, I'll consider it."

Chuck's eyes widened. He knew there was a good chance she was going to induce a heart attack if that kiss was any indication of the type of things she was going to do to him.

"That's not fair Sarah!"

"Why is that sweetie?" she flatly asked in an innocent tone.

"Sarah I'm serious!"

"Has anyone ever told you how adorable you look when you're trying to be serious?"

She saw the look in his eyes and she huffed slightly in indignation. "Chuck, I get it, you need time, but here's the thing; I'm here to stay. I'm going to have the General permanently reassign me back to Team Bartowski. Then, I'm going to do everything I can to make you realize that you can trust me again because I don't want to spend another second more than we have to, apart…So you're just going to have to man up and live with it…Now if you will please get someone to open that door so we can get out of here."

Chuck mumbled something under his breath that she couldn't hear.

Sarah narrowed her eyes and asked "What was that Chuck?"

He sighed "Nothing."

"That's what I thought." She got up on her tippy toes and gave him a peck on the lips.

As Chuck worked on Cortana to get them out of there, he was lost in his own thoughts as well. He couldn't believe what Sarah had just laid on him. Apparently, even though she understood he needed time, she didn't seem to want to give him space while that time he needed took place. True, he only asked for patience and not space, but he never expected this! He knew with the way Sarah could make him feel, it was only a matter of time until they were together, but he hoped that would be enough time for his heart to be completely healed. He didn't want to jump into anything before either of them were both ready.

He wanted to marry, and to start a family with this woman. He needed to stay strong so his wants and desires wouldn't mess anything up. Chuck was definitely going to make her work for it however.

* * *

Casey, Carina, and Tiffany were watching the 'couple' on the video feed when the computer screen went pitch black.

Since Tiffany knew the ins and outs of everything involving Castle more than anyone, even Chuck, she rushed to the monitor to get the video feed back up.

Carina was just waiting impatiently for Andrews to fix the damn thing because she wanted to see if anything naughty was happening.

Casey was instantly on guard in case they were under attack.

Tiffany was typing away at the computer, but even before she could figure out what the problem was, the message: '**STOP WATCHING US, AND GET US OUT OF HERE…LOVE, EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE NERD!'**; appeared on the screen.

That got a chuckle out of the two female agents as Carina went to go release the lovebirds. Even Casey cracked and amused grin.

Carina had a mischievous expression on her face as the door to the holding cell slid open.

"Some performance you two put on there."

Chuck reddened a little as Sarah just rolled her eyes.

The three of them walked back to the conference room, and the moment they entered, Casey gave a disgusted grunt while Tiffany asked if everything was ok.

Sarah nodded while Chuck answered. "Don't know how much of that you guys saw, but, yeah we're getting there."

Chuck turned to Sarah and gave her a smile, which Sarah reciprocated.

Casey's gruff voice snapped the two of them out of making googly eyes at one another.

"Great, just what the team needed. Bartowski and Walker in a relationship, acting like a bunch of horny teenagers." Although the sarcasm was dripping off his tone, the Colonel was happy for the idiots. He always knew they belonged together. And even though he was still weary of Sarah hurting the kid, he knew deep down she was a good woman. He definitely knew Chuck was a good man and that Walker could use a guy like Bartowski in her life. This time, if Sarah was planning on abandoning Chuck again, he would knock some sense into her. He would definitely kill Larkin himself if he tried anything to hurt his family. His family? Yeah, he considered his team his family.

Chuck shook his head at the response the Colonel gave. "Casey, Sarah and I aren't really together…"

Sarah nodded in agreement even with the hurt she was feeling.

Chuck continued. "…It's too soon and we decided that we would be better off taking things slow as friends."

The three other agents in the room kept quiet, eyes continuously darting between the spy couple.

Sarah was getting angry. Yes, she knew she needed to prove to him that she wasn't going anywhere and that he was her first priority, but how slow was he talking? Quite frankly, she had enough, and she voiced her frustration towards this whole friend idea.

_Friends…Does he want to explore other brunette options?!_

"Chuck, we agreed on being patient with each other, not being separated. I agree that we need to take things slow, but I was serious when I told you I didn't want to spend any more time, than absolutely necessary, apart…What, you want to start dating other people? Is that what you want Chuck?"

"Of course that's not it…but maybe you might need to take some time to see if Bryce…"

That seemed to tip Sarah over the edge. Didn't he get it? Bryce is history! Who gives a shit about that douche bag?! Alright, that was a bit harsh, but she was getting tired of all of Chuck's stupid insecurities.

"There is no Bryce and I Chuck, there is only a, you and me, got it? You wanted time to trust me again, and I get that, but listen up because I'm not going to repeat myself anymore…We've been apart for far too long, and I don't know how to get you to trust me again except by spending time with you and proving to you how much you mean to me."

Chuck understood Sarah's need to be around him, he wasn't that dense, but it just came back to the whole not ready to forgive her thing. It was petty, he knew, but he needed time to sort out all of his thoughts and emotions. But he figured he could do this for her. It might make it a little more difficult on his part, especially with the way that Sarah could turn his brain to mush, but he could suffer through it.

As if on cue, his eyes became unfocused as he stared at the exquisite vision before him. Her blond locks framing her face, as her ragged breath…obviously from the anger she felt towards him at the moment…caused her ample chest to rise and fall. Her flushed cheeks red from the yelling and the sweat glistening off her forehead made it seem like it was a 1,000 degrees in Castle. He figured she was hot because she was wearing way too much clothes, so he figured he could remedy that by taking off her…_and that's enough of that thinking_!

Chuck shook himself out of his fantasy. "Fine Sarah, I get it, but shouldn't one of us tell Bryce about your request for permanent reassignment?"

Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "Why? I've told him there wasn't anything between us anymore. He knows that I want to be part of this team. Bryce is many things, but he's not an idiot, he knows how much I lo- care about you."

Chuck noticed the almost slip of the word love, but he figured, just like she was going to try to be patient with him, he need to do the same with her.

"Still, he needs to know officially so there won't be any mix-ups…I'll just tell him…by the way where is he?"

Carina, Tiffany, and Casey, all broke out grins.

Carina spoke. "He's resting up."

Chuck knew that something was going on, but he shrugged it off.

"Alright…has anyone seen my dad?"

"He's down in the lab working on the Governor." Casey responded.

"Ok, well I'm going to help him on that. The faster we get Bryce fixed up the better off he'll be…Sarah, I guess I'll see you later?"

Sarah walked up to him, gave him a kiss on the lips, turned him around, and patted him on the butt to send him off towards the lab "Of course."

He walked off thinking to himself how whatever Sarah wanted, she probably was going to get. But if she wanted him, was that such a bad thing?

The moment Sarah turned back to the rest of the team, her eyes locked onto Tiffany's.

Tiffany tone wasn't more or less threatening, but you could tell that whatever she said you had best believed.

"I'm sure you know that if you hurt him, there will be a bullet with your name on it, fired from anyone of us…" Carina and Casey probably wouldn't shoot her…probably…but they didn't protest, so Tiffany continued. "But, even with saying that, please take care of him."

Sarah's voice was soft but left no room for doubt. "I promise."

Casey asked "So Walker, how are you going to deal with the moron's bearded gnome and Ellie?"

Sarah's eyes widened in realization. _Ellie, oh shit!  
_

* * *

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

It had been a couple of days since Sarah and Chuck's heart to heart, and they were slowly getting back to some sort of normalcy. Sarah respected the whole going slowly thing, but she still remained slightly affectionate with Chuck. It was mostly playful banter here and there, mixing in some chaste kisses every so often. He had even become used to all the teasing they did to one another.

It had recently become, much to the disgust of Tiffany and Casey, a game between the two children of who could make the other one crack first. Sarah's go to move mostly always involved rubbing up against him while Chuck just had to make his hot and heavy breath ghost all over her bare skin.

It surprised Sarah that Chuck would give as good, as he got, but it was further proof of how he'd changed. And this change wasn't because of the job, it was because of her. That both saddened and excited her. She wasn't going to lie, this slightly more confident and bolder Chuck turned her insides to goo more often than not.

It felt great settling into a routine with Sarah. It felt just like old times, well except for all the teasing, which by the way had surprised the hell out of him that he would participate in such things. But even as much as they were progressing, the full trust for Chuck still wasn't there. The continued talks between the two, helped repair those issues bit by bit however. They talked about everything, ranging from everyday nonsense, to heavier subjects.

Chuck wasn't purposely holding back his trust; everything seemed great between the two. But everything also seemed honky dory a couple of years ago before Sarah just up and left.

Hell, how could they even have considered moving forward when Sarah hadn't even made things right with Ellie and Morgan yet? Sarah said she wasn't stalling, but he knew. Chuck knew it was because she was scared…of Ellie more so than Morgan. As much as he wanted to come to her rescue, he decided that he needed to be strong and let her clean up her own mess. Of course he wouldn't let her suffer the wrath of his sister on her own, but Ellie deserved almost as much of an apology from Sarah as Chuck did. He needed to see how serious Sarah really was in regards to their relationship.

All the playfulness was great, but when it came down to it, he needed more from Sarah to be completely reassured.

To be fair, he hadn't even told Bryce about Sarah's request for reassignment or about their growing relationship either, but he had an excuse. Orion had put Bryce in a medically induced coma to limit the chances of Bryce flashing, and to give his system a sort of reboot.

Thankfully, Chuck and Orion had finished with the Governor, and all that was left to do was to put the watch…which was what housed the Governor…onto Bryce, wake him up from his coma, and to do some initial testing to see if the Governor worked.

Chuck sensing the opportunity to tell Bryce about Sarah and himself, told everybody he wanted to wake Bryce up alone, and to have some privacy while he talked to him before the first round of testing took place. No one saw the harm in letting Chuck talk to his ex-friend, so they agreed.

Chuck sat in a chair, next to the head of Bryce's bed, in the small infirmary room in Castle waiting for Bryce to wake up.

Bryce groaned as his eyes fluttered open "Wa- water."

Chuck grabbed a cup of water and put the straw into Bryce's lips as he hungrily sucked the cup dry.

Chuck placed the cup on a table a couple feet from him and placed his attention back on the matter at hand.

"Relax Bryce, try not to move so much."

For the most part, Bryce was a little groggy, but he recognized the voice.

"Chuck, what happened?"

"We put you into a medically induce coma while we worked to fix the Intersect. Well not fix it per se, but we did create a device that should help fight off the effects of the Intersect turning your brain into Swiss cheese."

Chuck nodded his head towards the watch on Bryce's left wrist, which he lifted to see what the device looked like.

"A watch?"

"It's…something like that yeah. Look we need to do some testing to see if it worked, but before we start, I wanted to talk to you about Sarah."

"Is she ok?"

"Yeah, she's fine. I just wanted to tell you that Sarah is going to be putting in a request for reassignment."

"Reassignment?"

"Yes, she wants to rejoin Team Bartowski. I also wanted to tell you that she and I are…together."

Bryce struggled to sit upright, but when he did, he gave Chuck an amused smirk. "Together?"

Chuck nodded.

Seeing as his only friend wasn't joking, Bryce turned serious.

"Chuck buddy, I don't think that's…"

Chuck knew this was coming, so he quickly cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it Bryce. I just thought you should know that Sarah and I are together, and that even though I'm ok with the two of you being friends, I will not tolerate you hitting on her."

A part of Bryce still loved her, or what he considered love. Even though he knew Chuck and Sarah had feelings for one another, he still had a semblance of hope.

"Buddy, she's MY partner. I don't think the two of you together is for the best. I mean her and I still…"

Chuck cut him off again. "Get your head out of your ass for two seconds and listen carefully. She wants on this team. I want her on this team. We love each other and even though I would never tell Sarah who she can be friends with, if I find out you crossed a line…"

Bryce saw an opening to implant some doubt, so he interrupted his best friend.

"Sarah told you she loved you?"

Chuck knew he shouldn't put so much stock on anything Bryce said, but the fact that he was still having issues believing Sarah every time she had said that she was here to say, and the fact that she still hadn't said 'I love you', even though it hadn't even been a week since they reconnected, made Bryce's question bother him more than he cared to admit.

Chuck didn't answer the question as he got up from the chair and walked towards the door.

When he reached the door handle, he turned and simply stated "Remember Bryce, if you cross a line, I'm going to kick your ass."

Bryce arrogantly smiled. "Buddy, I love ya and all, but even if you are a fully trained agent now, I still have the Intersect 2.0."

Chuck returned his smile. "Come on Bryce. You and I both know that the original is always better than the sequel."

With that, Chuck left and shut the door behind him.

Bryce really did love Chuck. He thought of him as a brother, and it's not like he wanted to hurt his best friend, but he thought he knew Sarah. He didn't believe Sarah was capable of being what Chuck wanted. He knew his brother wanted to someday settle down to start a family, and he did the things he did so that Chuck could achieve that dream. Bryce just didn't think Sarah was the settling down type. Maybe he didn't know her as much as he thought?

No…he knew, and besides, he was the Intersect. Sure, now that he had the Governor, he could probably go off on his own and take down the Ring. That was the plan anyways, for the Intersect to basically be a one man army, but if he had Sarah by his side, he would be unstoppable. Larkin and Walker were the best of the best, and with Sarah as his partner, they would be respected and feared by everyone.

He needed to talk to Sarah to get some answers.

* * *

The testing went off without a hitch, but the General and Orion decided to give it a couple more days, along with a little more testing, before they reinstated the Intersect back to active field duty. That seemed to be fine with everyone since it gave the team a little down time.

Everyone was in the conference room listening intently while the General was winding down the meeting.

"If that is all, contact me if there are any new developments."

Just before Diane disconnected the feed, Sarah spoke up. "Ma'am"

Before the conference, Chuck had told Sarah everything that was said in the conversation with Bryce, and she was definitely turned on by the fact that Chuck wanted to protect her honor. She would have definitely loved to show him how much she appreciated it, but Chuck still didn't trust her completely enough for something as intimate as sex.

Chuck had said something about needing more from her, and she knew he was talking about things that showed how serious she was about their relationship. Working things out with Ellie and Morgan was one way to show him, and this meeting, with Bryce in attendance, gave her the opportunity for another.

Beckman paused and retracted her finger from the disconnect button. "Yes Agent Walker?"

"I would like to be reassigned back to Team Bartowski ma'am."

Bryce was sitting in a wheelchair off to the side. He would have stood up to protest if he could, but his body was still adjusting to the mini coma he had just woke up from. That didn't stop his protest however.

He was shocked. He remembered all the things Chuck had said, but he figured he would have more time to talk to Sarah before anything happened.

"Sarah, you're my partner. We're the best team out there, you really want to throw all we have away?!"

Even with the stoic face the General was presenting, on the inside she was smiling. She knew it was only a matter of time before Walker had requested a reassignment. Diane wasn't going to give in so easily however, she wanted to test the agent to see how dedicated she would be to Chu-…_I mean how dedicated she would be to the team! Dammit!_

By the look on Larkin's face, Diane knew this would get very interesting.

"I'm also curious Agent Walker. Team Intersect is the tip of the spear in our war against the Ring, and you're telling me you want to leave?"

"Yes ma'am. I feel like with the Intersect working at full capacity again, my talents would be more effective on Team Bartowki. The Intersect was always meant to be a one man operation. If Bryce needs support, he can always request our help, but my point still stands. I belong here with this team."

This was it. Beckman arched her brow. "And what if I say no? What if I think you and Larkin make an invaluable team?" Diane saw out of the corner of her eye that Larkin had a smug smile on and was nodding his head in agreement. She had to do everything in her power not to laugh.

_This is it, my job or Chuck?_ Sarah glanced at Chuck and he gave her a smile. _No contest._

"Then I'll resign ma'am…This team needs me, and I need him."

Everybody was so shocked that only Beckman and Orion had caught Sarah's slip of saying she needed 'him' instead of 'team'.

Chuck was flabbergasted. _She would quit for me? Wait, you can quit…FOCUS! This can't be a play right? She has to be telling the truth. But maybe she knows Beckman would never fire one of the best spies out there. Crap…come on Chuck; use your big ass brain to figure it out!_

Beckman expected as much…or more like hoped. Now, it's Chuck's turn.

"Well, maybe that might be for the best Ms. Walker."

Chuck snapped out of his thoughts at the mention of Sarah's new title. He looked Sarah over and even though he saw the sadness in her expression, he also saw that she wasn't objecting.

_She's telling the truth! _Chuck spoke up.

"That won't be necessary General."

"And why not Agent Carmichael?"

"Please Diane, you're not going to let go of one of the top spies out there."

"Bartowski!" Casey barked. The Colonel could never believe how much unprofessionalism the General let the moron get away it. He understood that Beckman and Bartowski had developed some type of relationship. It was hard to get close to the twerp and not care for the idiot, but this was General Beckman. She was the toughest General he knew! Nothing seemed to make sense when it involved the nerd.

Chuck ignored the Colonel. "With Sarah on this team we would be all the more unstoppable. And besides, with the Governor, the Intersect should work perfectly. Now you would have two unstoppable forces coming at the Ring from both sides."

"Do any of the other members of Team Bartowski have any objection to this reassignment?" The General looked at Casey, Carina, and Tiffany.

"No ma'am" all three agents replied.

Diane faked a sigh of defeat. "I'll think about it."

Bryce tried to protest, but Beckman stopped it cold.

"…I don't want to hear any more of this subject. I'll tell you my decision when I decide…Now, if there is nothing else…"

Chuck responded. "Actually ma'am…"

Beckman shook her head. "Yes Chuck?"

"I just wanted an update on Shaw. The bots in his bloodstream will only probably last another week, two at best."

"Yes, well we have been tracking Shaw, and it appears he still hasn't gone to the main Ring facility. I'm sending a Tactical team to…motivate him in making the decision that going to that Ring base would be in his best interest."

Bryce spoke up. "I'm sure I can persuade him."

"That maybe so Agent Larkin, but when Team Bartowski saved you and Agent Walker from capture, rumors of a mystery team that killed the Intersect have spread. Therefore, I'd rather all of you lay low. Good day."

The General disconnected the feed.

Taking advantage of the quiet room, Bryce spoke.

"Is this what you really want Sarah? I mean Larkin and Walker, we're great together."

Chuck's jaw clenched so Sarah stroked his cheek which worked in calming him down.

Sarah answered Bryce's question while she looked directly into the eyes of the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

"Yes Bryce. I want to be here…I need Chuck." She rested her forehead on Chuck's.

Orion decided it was probably best for everyone if he got Bryce out of there for some rest. He grabbed the wheelchair and started rolling Larkin back to the infirmary.

Bryce felt hurt. Sarah had never acted like that with him, but then again he didn't really want that. His pride was hurt if anything, not his heart. If Sarah really wanted to be with his best friend, which he finally realized looked to be the case, he was going to have to accept it. Besides, if he had a partner, that person needed to be as dedicated to the mission as he was. He didn't like to admit it, but probably because of Chuck, Sarah's performance had been slipping as of late. No, he would need to go at this alone. It would probably be for the best.

With their foreheads still connected, Chuck said "I can't believe you did all that."

"I told you I was serious about us."

Now Sarah knew she needed to get started on the task of making up with Ellie and Morgan. She hadn't gotten to it yet not because she was afraid…she was…but because she didn't feel like the timing was right…Does anyone actually believe that?

However, Sarah wanted Chuck so bad that she didn't care how afraid…I mean if the timing was right or not! She did miss Ellie for the most part, Morgan not so much, but more importantly, once she made things right with those two, it would be another step closer in proving she was here for him and here to stay.

Sarah decided that tonight would be the night since Ellie and Awesome were coming over to Casa Bartowski/Grimes for dinner.

* * *

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Chuck was sitting at the dining room table with Ellie and Awesome seated across from him and Morgan at the head of the table. There was an empty chair to his left, as well as a place setting for the 'special guest' Chuck said would be coming for tonight's dinner.

Chuck was beyond nervous as his knee bounced furiously while his eyes kept darting towards the front door. A part of him was worried that everything would all go to hell once Sarah came, and then there was that small part of him that worried she wouldn't come at all.

Ellie and Awesome kept glancing at Chuck and back to each other wondering why Chuck was acting so strangely and who this 'special guest' was.

Morgan knew who this guest would be since Chuck gave him a heads up before diner. He didn't know why Sarah was coming to dinner, or that they were even friends, let alone together, but he agreed to keep his mouth shut until she got there. Morgan was obviously upset Chuck had invited her over to their place. He never understood firstly, how Chuck got with so many hot women to begin with, and secondly, why they kept hurting the greatest man he knew. He wanted answers from Vicky…no she doesn't deserve that moniker anymore…from the evil blonde, and he wasn't going to let her leave without them.

Ellie finally had enough. "Chuck, what's going on, why are you so nervous?"

Awesome responded next. "Yeah bro, what's the big deal with this 'special guest'?"

Ellie got an idea, and she hoped she was right. "Is it Tiffany, are you guys finally a couple?" She squealed.

Chuck' knee stopped moving a 100 miles a minute as he looked at his sis in dismay.

"El, how many times have we got to go through this, Tiffany and I are just friends."

Ellie shook her head. "I don't get it little brother. You guys are so cute together, and she definitely likes you."

Awesome agreed. "She's Awesome!"

Chuck sighed. "I do love her sis, but not in that way. Besides, I'm…well uh, I'm…"

Just then, a knock came at the door.

Chuck quickly stood up, resulting in the table to shake and his chair to crash to the floor.

"I got it!"

Ellie was really worried with the way her little brother had been acting so she decided to take control of the situation.

She stood up before Chuck could take a step towards the door.

"Stay there Chuck I'll get it."

"But El…"

"Stay Chuck, I said I'll get it."

He didn't want to upset his sister before the main event occurred so he acquiesced.

Ellie got to the door and opened it without looking through the spyhole. Once she realized who was standing before her, she gasped as her eyes widened in shock. But as fast as the shock came, it was gone all that much quicker as anger boiled through the beautiful brunette.

"YOU!"

* * *

**A/N (2): Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Special thanks to my beta uplink2. **

**Wanted to say thank you to another guest reviewer; Olivia. Glad you like my story. Also wanted to apologize for all the cliffhangers and the slow updates recently…Well not so much for the cliffhangers lol. I know when I read other Chuck stories, a week and some change can seem like a lifetime, but when writing, it feels like it's not enough time. I'm trying, but life, you know? **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 11**

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Ellie got to the door and opened it without looking through the spyhole. Once she realized who was standing before her, she gasped as her eyes widened in shock. But as fast as the shock came, it was gone all that much quicker as anger boiled through the beautiful brunette.

"YOU!"

Before Sarah realized what was happening, which was quite a testament to Ellie; a burning sensation appeared on her left cheek. The red mark contrasted her pale, flawless skin dramatically.

Sarah was surprised at the power of the slap as she rubbed the side of her face.

"OK…I deserved that, but I came here to…"

Ellie damn sure didn't want to hear anything this treacherous woman had to say to her. She cocked back her hand to deliver another slap when her sweet, caring brother's voice halted her efforts.

"Ellie stop!"

She turned to see her baby brother a couple feet from her, thankful that he couldn't see the horrible woman who was still standing outside. All she knew was that she had to get rid of this unwanted intruder before her brother's guest arrived.

"Chuck sweetie, go into the kitchen and open that bottle of wine we brought over before your guest arrives."

Chuck knew Sarah was the one at the door, and even though he felt lucky that he had an amazing sister who would slap a deadly spy…even if she didn't know it yet…and who would try to protect him from more heartache by getting rid of said heartbreaker; he couldn't help the disappointment and anger he felt towards her at the moment. Chuck technically didn't see Ellie slap Sarah, since Sarah was out of view, but he saw Ellie swing her right hand, and more importantly, he heard it.

He couldn't believe his loving sister would resort to physical violence. I guess it was a testament to how protective Ellie was when it came to Chuck. He knew yelling at his sister at the moment would only make matters worse, so Chuck quickly stomped on his anger in order to keep the peace. Even though he was angry, and as much as he loved his protective sister, he was still kind of afraid of Ellie going all Mama Bear on Sarah. No matter how deadly Sarah could be there was no surviving the full onslaught of the mother of all mothers that is, Eleanor Faye Woodcomb.

"El…Sarah is my guest." Chuck tried giving his sister a smile, but it just came out as a sheepish grimace.

Ellie was dumbfounded. She just stood rooted to the ground, hand on the open door, staring at Chuck with wide eyes that had a mixture of anger, confusion, hurt, and…yup, more anger.

"Ellie, please, just let Sarah in and we can talk about this whole…confusing situation."

The furious brunette released a breath as she walked up to her brother, not even throwing a glance at the blonde who was still outside.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do" she said as she stuck her finger into his chest. Ellie then brushed past him and sat next to her awesome husband at the dining table.

Ellie wasn't mad at Chuck, well she was a little. How could he be so stupid to let this woman back into his life? She had always loved Sarah, but the minute she walked out on Chuck, Sarah was dead to her. Quite frankly, Ellie felt Sarah was no better than Jill. I mean both of them made Chuck fall head over heels, and then betrayed him. What was worse was the fact that Chuck loved Sarah 100x more than that brunette skank.

She never understood why Sarah left in the first place. The way she would always catch Sarah looking at her brother left no doubt in her mind that Sarah loved Chuck. But here they were.

Sarah leaving hurt Ellie too, to be honest. True, her little brother was definitely the one who had it worse, but Ellie felt like Sarah was practically her sister. She even made her a damn bridesmaid! Sarah left…right after the fucking wedding…without even saying a word to her. Ellie had to find out from her poor _idiot_ brother that the love of his life had left to be with her ex, and Ellie would be left, yet again, to pick up the pieces.

Ellie never saw Chuck moping around like he did after the whole Jill debacle which surprised her a great deal. In fact, Chuck had actually made significant strides in making his life better, so in that aspect, she was proud of her brother and thankful in a way for what Sarah did. But in the end, no one messes with Eleanor Faye Woodcomb's baby cub. That's what it all boiled down too. Ellie had raised Chuck since he was a little boy, and she definitely felt more like a mother figure to Chuck than an actual sister. Ellie was hurt, yes, but more importantly, it was Chuck's feelings that mattered most. And no matter how Chuck looked on the outside, Ellie knew that Sarah leaving tore her baby brother up inside.

Ellie so wanted to give Walker a piece of her mind, but she would let Chuck explain what the hell was going on. It was his life, and she needed to respect that.

Chuck walked over to the front door and looked at his nervous...girlfriend? They haven't technically labeled anything, but if Sarah could get through tonight, yeah they would definitely be a couple. Tonight wasn't going to fix all their problems, but he considered it an important step.

"Are you ok?" Chuck asked with worry evident in his tone.

He brought his right hand up to caress her pinkish cheek.

Sarah nuzzled her face against Chuck's soft hand. She let out a contented sigh as she nodded her head.

"Yeah…I guess my leaving hurt a lot more people than I realized."

Chuck's eyes dropped as he retracted his hand and slightly gave a nod as realization hit him.

_I'm such an idiot. Ellie must have been hurt when she basically lost a sister in Sarah._

The moment Sarah lost contact with his hand she felt the loss of his warmth and love. How Chuck touching her with just his hand elicited so much, she had no idea, but she realized a long time ago to not question these types of things. Chuck was amazing, and that's all she needed to know.

He raised his head back up slightly to meet Sarah's eyes, but she was basically looking to the floor.

"Come on Sarah."

"Uh…maybe…"

A smile grew on his face. "Is the great Sarah Walker afraid of my sister?"

"Are you telling me you aren't?" She said with a lift of her eyebrow.

Chuck turned his head and looked at the three members of his family seated at the dining table, more specifically his sister.

"Good point"

He grabbed her hand as he pulled her inside. They walked over to where everybody was and just stood there awkwardly.

Devon gave the two of them a small smile; Morgan had a weird half scowl half smile going, and Ellie, well Ellie refused to look their direction.

Chuck decided to help Sarah out by getting things started.

"So…"

Ellie held up a hand, still not looking in their direction, more because of Sarah than Chuck.

"Chuck, I made this wonderful dinner for your guest...'before I knew who it was' she mumbled under her breath…So can we just sit here and eat first, because I have a feeling I might lose my appetite at whatever you two have to say."

Chuck looked to Sarah and shrugged, and an idea hit him. _ALCOHOL!_

"That's a great idea sis…Who isn't happier after eating one of your WONDERFUL meals! So… can I get you some wine El…Maybe a bottle or two?"

* * *

Dinner didn't fly by. It limped by, in tension filled silence. When all the food and dishes were put away, Ellie just took her glass of wine and proceeded to the living room couch…still silent.

Surprisingly the glass Ellie held in her hands was only her second one. Apparently, she didn't want to over indulge herself so that she could keep a level head when hearing the explanation of the beautiful blonde that caused so much pain for the Bartowski family, and her idiot brother.

That didn't stop everyone else from drinking. It actually encouraged the rest of the group. Captain Awesome had a few because he never had seen Ellie this quiet, and it was seriously freaking him out. Morgan had a few because, well he just wanted to. Chuck and Sarah both had enough to prepare them for the talk, but not enough to go overboard.

With Ellie, Devon, and Morgan all seated on the couch and Chuck and Sarah standing in front of them, Chuck got the ball rolling.

"Alright, so I guess you guys are all upset and must be wondering why Sarah is here exactly…I'll let her explain, but please just give her a break."

Chuck was standing to the left of Sarah and he could tell that she was nervous, so he took a hold of her left hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

Sarah felt Chuck grab her hand and she felt at peace the moment his hand slightly constricted hers.

"I'm here because…well because of Chuck. I made a stupid mistake, one that I don't intend to make again, when I left, and I came back hoping your brother would find it in his wonderful heart to forgive me and take me back."

Morgan spoke up. "So you're saying you've realized what a loser your ex was and now you want to come crawling back to my main man here?"

Chuck glared at his bearded buddy. "Morgan!"

"What, I'm just trying to clear up what she's saying."

Sarah squeezed Chuck's hand in an effort to tell him that 'it was ok'.

Chuck sighed. He didn't like where this seemed to be heading.

"Look guys. Sarah and I have had a long talk about everything. She explained to me why she left and I've forgiven her for what she's done. We're together and I hope you guys can support us."

Ellie looked at the couple standing before her and she liked what she saw. But she was fooled before.

"How do you know she won't leave like last time?"

Chuck didn't know how to answer. His eyes started darting left and right as a small sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead. Even his palm, the one that was entangled with Sarah's, was starting to get moist.

That was the million dollar question, wasn't it? There was no doubt how he felt about her, but a small part of his heart was held back in fear of that loaded question. He was certain that he wouldn't be able to survive being left by Sarah a second time. It wasn't like Chuck was intentionally holding back, but the situation was what it was.

He knew it shouldn't have mattered what anybody thought besides him, but he knew his sister was just looking out for him. And besides, no matter how _horrifying_ the question was, it was important none-the-less.

Sarah could see Chuck squirming. She felt absolutely disgusted with herself at the moment. It was suppose to be her job making things right with everyone, but here Chuck was, fighting for them instead.

Sarah smiled.

Chuck was fighting for them even if he still didn't trust her enough with his whole heart. She knew the trust issues that were still lingering, but apparently it didn't matter to her Chuck. She couldn't help but fall even deeper in love with her nerd. Could that even be possible? Apparently.

Sarah still hadn't actually voiced the fact that she loved Chuck Bartowski, mainly because of her stupid insecurities, but if Chuck was willing to put aside some petty differences, why couldn't she? She loved him, so she should tell the whole damn world! At the very least, tell every damn brunette.

"He should know because I love your brother Ellie. I'm in love with Charles Irving Bartowski."

Chuck's head snapped surprisingly without causing whiplash. He knew and understood why Sarah hadn't said those words to him, so you could understand the shock he felt when she uttered those beautiful words while actually sounding like she meant them.

He stared at Sarah with wide eyes conveying hope, love, surprise, and a small amount of relief.

Sarah thought Chuck looked so damn adorable the way he was starring at her. She just nodded her head 'yes' to answer the question that his eyes were asking.

Ellie sat amazed. On the one hand, they looked soooo _FUCKING _cute together she could squeal for days, but on the other, Sarah just announced she loved her brother…what else was new? Did she not really love him before?

"OK…you love Chuck, everyone knows that. That still doesn't answer my question of how sure he can be that you won't leave."

Chuck never took his gaze away from Sarah as he spoke to his sister.

"El, I have some things I need to tell you guys that will explain everything…It's time you knew the whole truth."

Sarah was a little worried what truths exactly Chuck was planning on revealing.

"Chuck…"

"It's ok Sarah I cleared it with Beckman a long time ago. I was just waiting for the right moment. It's time they knew everything."

Sarah wasn't completely sure it was the right thing to do, but she trusted Chuck. And if it got Ellie on the path to forgiving her quicker, then that would be just fine with her. She was tired of the lies almost as much as Chuck.

She nodded her support.

Morgan was on the edge of his seat waiting for this big secret to be revealed. Awesome already knew some slight details about Chuck being a spy, so he was a little worried how Ellie might react when she finds out about her husband keeping it from her. Ellie was just confused and slightly hurt that Chuck was keeping some type of secret from her.

Chuck looked back to the group.

"Well…I guess I should start back at when I was still at Stanford. You see, Bryce…"

There was a knock on the door.

Chuck held up a finger. "Hold that thought."

He walked to the door and peered through the spyhole to see a fiery redhead and a beautiful brunette.

Chuck opened the door. "What are you guys doing here?"

Carina popped her head in to look at Sarah.

"Figured blondie would be a crying mess right now. No way I'm going to miss that."

Sarah glared at the redhead.

Tiffany just shook her head in amusement.

"We're here for support if you need it."

Chuck hugged each of the ladies and ushered them inside.

"Perfect timing, I'm just about to tell a little story."

Carina plopped down next to Morgan, who instantly tensed being in such close proximity to this gorgeous supermodel.

"What story is that Chucky?"

"A story about a nerd and his beautiful blonde guardian angel."

Tiffany relaxed on the recliner closest to the door.

"This nerd sounds hot."

Sarah lightly growled which caused Ellie, Carina, and Tiffany to chuckle.

Chuck also let out a small laugh, but it was more of a nervous one.

"Anyways, like I was saying…Back at Stanford…"

Another knock came.

Chuck sighed. "You have got to be kidding me."

Chuck again went to the door and peered through the spyhole. He was shocked at who the person on the other side of the door was.

He opened it. "Casey?"

"Moron…I just uh, need to borrow some milk."

Chuck smiled. He knew Casey was there to support his partners just as Carina and Tiffany were.

"Bartowski, if you don't stop smiling, Imma shoot you." Casey shoved Chuck out of the way and headed for the fridge. Greeting The Awesomes and ignoring the bearded gnome along the way.

Chuck positioned himself next to Sarah and started counting down.

"5…4…3…2…1" The second he hit 1 on the countdown, he pointed at the door.

Everyone gave him a puzzled look.

"Chuck, what are you doing?" Sarah asked.

"Huh, oh nothing. I just figured there would be another knock…Anyways, like I was saying before…NOW!"

Chuck pointed at the door again. When no knock came, he just shrugged it off.

"So, when I went to Stanford…" His eyes darted back to the door.

Ellie was now becoming impatient. "Chuck!"

Chuck flinched. "Sorry. Anyways, like I said before, this all started back at Stanford with Bryce."

* * *

Chuck was flailing his arms around as he told bits and pieces of his story. He never divulged too much detail in certain missions, but other than that, he was basically an open book. Sarah had even brought her two cents in, explaining her motivations on why she did some of the things she did. Sarah never talked about her past, but she did explain the fears and insecurities she felt. She thought it would help everyone, more specifically Ellie, understand her better.

"I was like…and then Sarah was like…and it as like…Wow!"

Sometimes Chuck would get so excited about certain parts that he would ramble and not make a lick of sense, much to everyone's amusement.

Ellie probably was the only one not amused. Although she was engrossed in the story, she couldn't help but panic for her baby brother's safety.

* * *

Sarah was just as captivated by Chuck's story as everybody else was. She couldn't help but be fascinated with the way he told the story. It was entirely in Chuck's POV and not only did he explain everything pertaining to the government, sans mission details, Chuck also explained every detail involving her.

It seemed like Chuck wanted to both explain the situation to his sister while explaining any misgivings involving their situation.

When Sarah heard Chuck explain the whole 'Red dress/Salmon' incident, she wanted to go find Bryce and hit him in the face with a baseball bat. When Chuck later explained that it was Bryce who inspired the whole 'you'll never be normal' conversation, she was ready to stab Larkin with one of her favorite knives!

All-in-all, Chuck's story seemed to have gone well.

Morgan was bouncing in his seat like a small man child on a sugar rush, which basically he was.

Casey, who had 'somehow' migrated to standing behind the couch, had his arms crossed over his chest and had a scowl on his face. But behind that mask, was an impressed and satisfied Colonel.

Carina and Tiffany were just all smiles. Chuck had talked to the both of them about his past before, but never to this extent. And they would never admit this, but the two female agents were giddy after hearing the love story about the nerd and the blonde guardian angel.

Devon was both impressed and nervous. He kept sneaking glances at his wife as he waited for the inevitable blow up about him keeping secrets from her. Captain Awesome definitely wanted to tell Chuck how, well, awesome he thought his brother-in-law was, but he had to worry about his own ass for the moment.

Sarah was a mixed bag of emotions. Hearing how she basically tortured Chuck everyday for two years made her feel dejected. She wanted to badly make up for her wrongs by loving Chuck in every possible way. Sure, she would get pleasure out of some of those ways, but that's not what this was about dammit!

Chuck was waiting on pins and needles for his sister's reaction. _She's sure taking her damn time with this! Yell at me! Hug me! Ht me! Do something! The waiting is killing me…_

Ellie spoke. "So…for two years, you two have been pretending to be a couple…while Sarah has been trying to fool herself into believing she wasn't in love with my brother…said brother, who has at times been stupid enough to break up with Sarah, real or not."

Devon was shocked. _Does she not care about all the secrets?_

"Babe, that's all you want to know?" Devon had a hopeful tone to his voice.

Ellie turned to her husband. "Oh, don't get me wrong. We're definitely going to have a talk about how you kept the fact that my brother is a spy from your WIFE…In fact…" She glanced at everybody around her. "…we all are. But for now, yes."

Sarah nodded. "Yes Ellie"

Ellie had a contemplative look on her face. "And you didn't leave because you ran off with your ex, Bryce Larkin…" There was a bit of disdain in her voice when she said that name. "…but because you were scared. And now, you've realized how much you love my brother, and you're not going to abandon him again and are now ready to put him first above all else?"

Sarah didn't hesitate. "Yes"

"And Chuck, do you believe that?"

Chuck turned and looked into Sarah's deep blue eyes.

Sarah fought with everyone just to talk to him. She had told him why and apologized for leaving. She was ready to quit if she wasn't going to be on the same team as him. She did what he asked and was now in his living room, trying to make things right with Ellie and Morgan…results still pending. Sarah told him she loved him! What more did he need?

Chuck looked back at his sister. "We still have some things to work through, but…yeah, I do."

Sarah took a small step forward. "Ellie, when I left, I quickly realized that I abandoned the best part of me back in Burbank. I didn't like who I was without Chuck, and I damn sure don't intend to ever become that person again. Before I met your amazing brother, I had always thought the job was the only thing I ever needed and the only thing that could ever make me happy. If not for Chuck, my life would have been empty with nothing to look forward to but the next mission. Not only did he save me from that existence, but he also brought each and every one of you guys into my life. He has my heart already, and yet I plan to give him so much more because of all the things he has given me. I need him. Without Chuck I am nothing."

Chuck was as shocked by her speech as he was when Sarah had told everybody that she loved him out loud. His eyes were quickly becoming glassy.

Ellie nodded her head and smiled. She believed Sarah too. Hearing the events of Chuck's life for the past couple of years and Sarah's explanations of where she was coming from when she did some of the things she did, really put into perspective how screwed up life could be; and how much the two people standing in front of her, loved each other.

"Alright. If you two can get past everything that has happened, then so can I. Sarah, you still have a lot of making up to do with everyone, but if you guys are happy, then…I'll support you guys."

Chuck ran to his big sister and pulled her into an 'Ellie hug'.

Morgan ran to Sarah and wrapped his arms around her.

Sarah was confused, and a little creeped out.

"Uh Morgan, what do you think you're doing?"

Morgan released Sarah and took a step back.

"I'm just happy…***sniff***…that I don't have to…***sniff***…stay mad at you…***sniff***… anymore." He wiped his nose with his shirt. "I've always known you were the one for my main man, and it killed me to actually think I was wrong."

Casey whimpered and all of a sudden, every set of eyes in the room were situated on him.

"'Humph'…I need to get back to Castle, thanks for the sugar." He started heading for the door.

Chuck smirked. "I thought you came by for milk. Also, you do know that you don't have anything in your hands right?"

Casey mumbled something about having the moron's neck in his hands under his breath as he exited the apartment.

Once the door closed behind the Colonel, Ellie looked at Chuck.

Sure, she may have accepted her little bother's relationship with Sarah, and she may have even understood why everyone lied to her, but that didn't mean they didn't need to be taught a lesson. Ellie would have her fun now, but at some point, she needed to get her brother alone to talk about the Intersect and this dangerous 'job' of his.

A mischievous smile graced Ellie's beautiful face. "So, was the fact that Carina and Tiffany couldn't keep their hands off of you all for cover also?"

Chuck eyes went wide in fear as Tiffany's went wide in embarrassment.

Carina started laughing her ass off, and the next thing she knew, she was tackled to the ground by a furious blonde Tasmanian devil.

* * *

**May 2010**

**Somewhere in Russia**

Shaw was driving his rental Tesla like a maniac down the highways trying to evade the waves of agents that were after him. This was the 3rd fucking base in a row that had been compromised within 24 hours of him arriving.

It didn't make any sense. He had himself checked and rechecked, so there was no way they were tracking him. He wasn't being tailed he was too good for that. And there was no way in hell it was all a coincidence. No, they knew where he was going somehow, and he had no idea how.

Daniel banged his fist into the steering wheel. _There's only one place I can go where I'll be safe long enough to devise a new plan for Walker._

It didn't matter how pissed the Ring Elders and the Director were at him. It wasn't his fault that a team that operated like they were ghosts, broke into the Ring holding facility and assassinated the Intersect. They had taken Walker it seems, but he knew she was still alive, he could just feel it in his bones.

Besides, if the Ring still held a grudge, he had some leverage since he still had an inside source inside the government. He knew where the Intersect designs were specifically located, and he could dangle that enticing carrot in front of the Ring Elders for their continued support on his revenge on the woman who murdered his Evelyn.

All Shaw needed to do at the moment was to get to one of the Rings private airfields so he could hop a ride to the Ring Headquarters.

_Ring headquarters here I come. Next stop…  
_

* * *

**A/N (2): Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I know, I know, super late in posting. I'm hitting a damn brick wall with this story. **

**Wanted to give a shout out to MRG101 who really helped me break through that proverbial wall I was hitting with this chapter, and for helping me with the Czech language. If something's are off with the translations, it's my fault, not his. Also, if you haven't, go check out MRG101's stories Chuck vs The Mirror and Sarah vs The Island. Seriously, stop reading this story and go read those. Of course please come back here and read this once you have read those stories and left reviews lol. **

**Again, thanks to another guest reviewer, who I guess has given himself the nickname "if Sarah left" guy…Awesome nickname, and if you're reading this, when you leave reviews, take out guest for the name and just type in "if Sarah left" guy, so I know it's you lol. Anyways, back to what I wanted to say, thank you so much for your review, it was one of the nicest reviews I've ever gotten. For you to compare my updates to the actual show…WOW. Virtual high five dude! **

**Special thanks to my beta uplink2.**

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 12**

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Chuck lay in bed with his eyes shut and breathing regulated in such a way that even the best spies in the world would believe he was in an unconscious state…He wasn't. Chuck had been awake for the past 5 minutes, just reveling in the feeling of the weight crushing down on his body and the calmness that came with it.

Sleep was always a difficult task for Chuck, but ever since that dinner a couple nights ago where Ellie practically gave them her blessing, it wasn't as problematic. He didn't fear what dreams would come anymore because whenever he slept next to Sarah, his mind would only play images of the life he'd hope they would share one day.

A part of him didn't want to get up since he felt so whole, but the other part was a tad anxious that this would all be a dream. Instead of Sarah, Carina or Tiffany would be in his arms. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. Before Sarah had returned to where she belonged, Carina or Tiffany would always sneak into Chuck's room so that they could climb into bed with him till he woke up. Then they would proceed to drag him off to do something so damn early in the morning.

Carina would always kick Chuck out of bed to force him to make breakfast for her while Tiffany would just drag him for a training session the minute he got up.

That was the main reason for Chuck developing such a talent for feigning sleep. If he could never get out of training with Tiffany or serving Carina food, then at least he would be able to get a little more shut-eye.

He knew how ridiculous he was for feeling nervous about who really was in his arms. There was no question about who could make him feel the way he felt at the moment.

Chuck was about to open his eyes when…_What the hell is that? Is she drooling on me?!_

His eyelids slowly slid open as he peered at the woman using his chest as a pillow.

He softly chuckled.

Sarah was half on top of him with her arms wrapped around his body. She was apparently out cold if the pool of saliva on his bare chest was any indication. As gross as it was, he couldn't have imagined a cuter sight at the moment if he tried. He definitely needed a picture of this.

Unfortunately, his phone was on the nightstand to his right, just out of reach.

Chuck moved as slowly as possible, so he wouldn't wake up his bed mate, but apparently, Sarah was having none of it. The moment Chuck's body shifted in the slightest, Sarah would instinctively just wrap her arms around his body tighter.

Chuck sighed. He knew it was pointless, so he gave in.

With his focus now not on the adorable blonde who was using him as a pillow, Chuck started to hear the noises coming from the kitchen. More importantly, he could smell the food coming from outside his room.

_Why is everyone here so early? What time is it? 10:00am!_

Chuck loved his sleep, but oddly enough, he was always an early riser. It might have had to do with the little tradition of the entire team plus Morgan, Ellie and Awesome, eating breakfast together if they had the time. But that little tradition of a family breakfast usually occurred at 9 in the morning, so why so late?

He figured his team just decided to let Sarah and himself sleep in. God knows it had been a pretty damn stressful week.

Chuck felt guilty for making his family wait, and to be honest he was starving, so he decided it was probably the best option for him to get up. He tried unwrapping Sarah's arms from his body, but again she clung on to him tighter. Any tighter and she would probably asphyxiate him.

"Sarah sweetie, we should get up now."

She didn't respond. _She must be dead._

He started running his hand over her back in hopes that it would help rouse her.

Sarah started purring. "MMmmm…Chu…keep going…more…mor…"

Chuck turned a slight shade of red as he realized that she must have been dreaming. Unfortunately the sounds coming from her delicious mouth, and the fact that her warm breath was ghosting over his chest, was waking up a certain body part of his.

The moment she started kissing his chest he practically shot out of bed, and since Sarah was clutching him so damn hard, he took her to the floor with him. And as luck would have it, she landed right on top of him, now fully awake, and feeling the object of her desire pressed up against her bottom.

Sarah licked her lips as she grounded her hips torturously so.

"Mmmm. Well hello there."

Chuck looked like he was about to have a heart attack. He quickly threw her off of him and stood.

"Sorry, sorry, I just…uh…I need to shower!"

He quickly ran to the bathroom, still in his sleep ware of boxers and nothing else; completely ignoring the puzzled looks he was getting from Casey, Carina, Tiffany, and Morgan who were in the dining room and kitchen.

All of a sudden, everybody heard Chuck yell "CCCOOOOOLLLLLDDDDD!"

It wasn't like Chuck didn't want to have sex with Sarah, he most definitely did. He just felt like the timing wasn't right. Sarah was special, and when they finally did make love for the first time, he wanted it to be special. This wasn't about trust anymore. He was pretty confident that she wouldn't leave, unless Beckman refused Sarah's request for permanent reassignment. But he didn't want to think about that right now. Every second spent with her helped glue his heart back together piece by piece. The fact that she had told him she loved him in front of everyone and that she was trying to make things right with Ellie and Morgan also added to the healing process. Sarah was trying her best to convince him, and he could see that. But he needed it to be perfect. He needed to show her that it wasn't all about him. He needed to give her the greatest orga-…experience of her life. I mean, what's a few hundred cold showers? And it's not like she wanted to have sex as much as he did…right?

Sarah was sitting on the floor, dumbfounded. _Did he just push me off of him!?_

She was really getting irritated with the fact that she hadn't screwed Chuck sideways yet.

Sarah got up, took a couple minutes to compose herself, and then proceeded to the dining room table. Since she couldn't take her morning shower yet because Chuck went first, though she was very tempted to join him, she hoped maybe a cup of coffee would calm her nerves for now. She tried explaining to Chuck a couple days ago how showering together would save time…which was a lie, it wouldn't…but she decided to respect the fact that he didn't want to get too intimate with her, for now.

Sarah plopped down on the chair across from the Colonel, Carina, and Andrews, and dropped her face into her hands.

Morgan came over and poured her a cup of coffee. "Here's some coffee Agent Walker." He then saluted.

Sarah was too sexually frustrated to be dealing with Morgan this early in the morning.

"Morgan what are…"

He cut her off "Name's Cobra ma'am."

She shook her head in annoyance. "Morgan not now"

He didn't move at all giving the appearance he had not heard her.

Sarah huffed in indignation. "Morg-…Cobra, can you go finish breakfast please."

"Yes Agent Walker." And with that he went back to the kitchen.

"Idiot wants to be on the team." Casey mumbled.

Carina zeroed in on Sarah and knew.

"So blondie, I still see you haven't slept with Chucky yet. I can always explain how amazing he is in bed to tie you over until then."

"Shut up Carina, I know you haven't slept with him!"

Casey decided to join in on the fun.

"Why don't you ask Andrews how the moron is, I've caught them in bed a number of times."

Sarah choked on her hot coffee. She turned to Tiffany and threw her the same glare she would throw any brunette who touched her Chuck.

Tiffany smiled. "Relax Walker. Although technically Casey's right, I never had the pleasure…unfortunately."

Sarah rolled her eyes and returned to sipping her hot beverage. Sarah and Tiffany had learned to play nice for Chuck's sake, and in time they both felt like there could be a budding friendship, but that didn't stop the two from taking the occasional shot at one another.

The shower turned off and Chuck exited the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel.

Before Chuck could make it back to his room, Carina thought she would have a little more fun.

"Oh I almost forgot. No need to thank me Sarah."

Chuck stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to face the group. He had a feeling that Carina was up to no good.

Sarah gave a puzzled look to the fiery red head so Carina trudged forward.

"I taught Chuck to do this one thing with his tongue…MMMMM, he is an amazing student!"

The hand that Sarah was gripping her mug with started to tremble with rage. She knew Carina was trying to mess with her, and she was positive that Carina and Chuck never slept together. OK, so she wasn't 100% sure, but she was definitely sure she was going to kill Carina, then Chuck, then Carina again…and then maybe the Colonel, Andrews, and Larkin for good measure. Yeah, Sarah was just going to kill everyone on this stupid little planet.

Sarah was just about to launch the now lukewarm liquid at her intended target when Chuck's arms wrapped around her. Sure, she was getting a little damp since Chuck hadn't dried off completely from his shower, but she just melted as she was encased in his long, strong arms; a goofy smile growing wider and wider on her glowing face.

Tiffany rolled her eyes as Carina huffed in petulance at losing at her own game.

Chuck kissed Sarah on the neck and said, "Carina, stop teasing my girl so much."

Sarah's heart flipped. Chuck was always so kind-hearted, considerate, loving, and she loved that about him. It was what made her fall so hard and fast in the first place. But on the rare occasions where Chuck would take control and make her feel like she was his property, it brought a whole new set of hunger deep down inside her. That's what she exactly was, his property, and she loved it. She was his, just like Chuck was her property.

The only problem she faced was that it seemed like every woman on the damn planet, wanted what was hers. Well, everybody except the General and Ellie. To be frank, she wasn't completely sure that the diminutive demon wasn't after her man too! Some men loved women who held a position of power right? Chuck probably found it sexy! She saw how the General's demeanor softened when it involved Chuck, and how she was smiling more than usual…which was usually never.

_AArrghhhhh! I'm going to kill Beckman, he's mine! Damn that stupid ass nerd for being irresistible!_

Chuck could feel Sarah tense in his arms, so he took a step back while his arms went from around her to resting on her shoulders. He could see that he got her a little damp from his shower and figured that was the reason she seemed…and was that his imagination or did a couple of water droplets that fell from his hair onto Sarah just turn into steam?

Sarah felt Chuck squeeze her shoulders and she snapped out of her jealous, but completely justified and sane, thoughts. She looked at the two female agents and was puzzled by what she saw.

Tiffany was starring down into her coffee mug, and she looked rather flushed. Carina had a look of appetency in her eyes as she licked her lips.

Sarah turned in her chair and…_OH, COME ON! _She sighed in disbelief. Can someone die from sexual frustration?

Chuck had definitely changed. There he was, standing in front of her, covered waist down by a stupid towel. The training he went through had definitely added some muscle. Even though he was still long and lanky, he was about as toned as Captain Awesome.

Chuck was curious as to why all the females in the room were staring at him. Well except for Tiffany, whose eyes kept darting from him to the table and so on and so forth.

Casey gave a disgusted grunt. "Go put on some clothes Bartowski; you're going to make me lose my appetite."

Before Chuck even realized that he was basically half naked in front of everybody, Sarah got up, gripped his arm, and started dragging him towards his room.

Chuck yelped, "Help me!"

Once in the room, Sarah shoved Chuck to the bed, surprised and disappointed that the towel hadn't fallen off, and closed and locked the door behind her.

She faced Chuck who was sitting on the bed, who was looking rather anxious.

"Chuck, why are you torturing me like this?"

"What are you…"

"I mean you keep winding me up until I'm close to the point of no return, then you stop! Do you not find me attractive anymore?"

The look on her face nearly killed him. He got up and placed a hand on each side of her face.

"Sarah, you are the most beautiful and sexiest woman I have ever seen and could ever imagine."

"Then why haven't we had sex?" Sarah heard how she sounded and was horrified.

Chuck chuckled. "Sorry…Look, I want to, you don't know how bad I want to..."

"But?"

"…But, I don't think it's the right time yet. I want it to be special for the both of us. I think we both deserve that…Making love to you means so much to me, and I know you probably think making love is the same as sex…"

Sarah flinched. He was right, and she was slightly embarrassed because of it.

"…I'm sorry Sarah. It's just. I just want this to be perfect for us. It'll be our first time, and I don't want it to be replaced by a salacious night. I want to make love to you, not just have sex with you…you know? It's not like I'm planning it or something, but when we feel the time is right, I want to take my time pleasing you, which in turn, will please me."

Sarah's eyes were slightly glassy when Chuck pulled her closer until his lips were slowly and lovingly moving with hers. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to be with such an incredible man. Other men would have tried to get her to bed as soon as they could, but here was her Chuck, prolonging the inevitable so it would be completely intimate and memorable.

When they detached from each other, they were both slightly dazed.

"I love you so much Chuck."

_OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, THIS IS MY CHANCE._ Chuck smirked_._

"I know."

Sarah laughed as an idea bubble popped. She quickly pulled his towel off.

The red tint was everywhere on Chuck, from head to toe, as he tried to cover himself up by posing in 'The Morgan'.

Chuck's breath became shaky at best. "Sarah, uh, can you…"

"What Chuck, if I have to wait, then the least you could do is give me a preview of what's to come." Sarah had an innocent look going. Just because they would hold off on sex, I mean making love, that didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun.

Chuck couldn't believe he was actually trying to stop this goddess from doing, whatever she had in mind.

His mouth opened and closed like a fish as his mind was melting rapidly. He was completely naked in front of the most gorgeous woman on the planet, and he wanted to cover up? And did she just lick her lips?

Sarah gave a quick squeeze and it shocked his mind enough to form coherent words. He needed this to stop…or maybe…no, no, he needed to put an end to this!

"Sarah, please!"

As much as Sarah enjoyed having Chuck in her hand, she took pity on him. Truth be told, she was excited for the time when they would make love, and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop if she continued. She was definitely curious as to how it would be different from sex. Now all that had to happen, was for the right time to hurry it's ass up.

Like any evil woman, namely Carina, she let out a soft sensual moan while she nodded her head in acquiescence's.

Chuck wobbled a bit.

After he got his strength back, he quickly grabbed the towel on the floor and wrapped himself up. He sprinted to the bathroom to yet again experience another cold shower.

A couple minutes later, Chuck returned to his room and quickly got dressed. He had asked Sarah to leave so he could change, but she politely declined saying she wanted to enjoy the show. Chuck surprisingly let her stay because, quite frankly, he wanted payback.

After he finished getting dressed, Sarah was about to get off the bed, but Chuck pushed her back down and quickly got on top of her.

He gave her an earth shattering kiss that made her moan while his tongue invaded her mouth. His lips released hers and he slowly kissed down her jaw onto her neck. He was moving frustratingly slow until he moved into a dead stop, and attacked. It was the same spot Chuck had discovered the night of the art gala.

Sarah was in heaven pure and simple. He knew how to push her buttons and they still had their clothes on! Chuck hadn't even gone below her collarbone and she was almost ready to burst.

Chuck loved the feel of her writhing underneath him as gasps, moans, and all sorts of sounds came from her mouth. As much as he wanted to continue pleasing his love, he needed to stop before he got too carried away. I mean after all, this was supposed to be a lesson.

_Oh my god, how is he doing this? So close…Just a little more…CHU-…"_

Chuck quickly got up and left the room, calling out to her as he did.

"Breakfast getting cold honey; hurry up and shower."

Sarah could hear his laughter. Any other time, it would have sounded like pure bliss, but at this very moment, it pissed her off. He did not just do that! She was so close.

She quickly grabbed a clean towel and went to the bathroom, stomping her feet like a spoiled brat along the way.

Before she was about to slam the door to the bathroom shut, she yelled out, "YOU'RE A DEAD MAN BARTOWSKI!"

* * *

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Team Bartowski were gathered in the conference room, waiting for the General to start the morning briefing.

Chuck was wondering why his dad and Bryce weren't present for the briefing, but before he could ask his team anything, the General appeared on the screen.

"Good morning team."

After everyone greeted the General, Chuck voiced his concern.

"General, do you know where Orion and Agent Larkin are?"

"Yes Agent Carmichael. I sent Agent Larkin and Orion to Reykjavík, Iceland. The tactical team I sent for Shaw has tracked him to an abandon 135 acre farm. Although abandoned, the security surrounding this place is unbelievably high, and the tactical team wasn't able to force Shaw out, unlike the other Ring bases. My guess, that's where the Ring headquarters is, and I've sent the Intersect to verify. Orion is there to monitor Agent Larkin's reactions in the field."

Casey wished the General had made someone from Team Bartowski go with the Intersect as well.

"'Humph', Larkin might want to play hero and try to take down the whole place by himself."

"Don't worry Colonel, Orion promised to protect the Intersect, even from himself. And, even though the Tactical team on site hasn't been read in on the Intersect, they've been ordered to detain Agent Larkin if he deviates from mission parameters."

Casey gave a satisfied grunt.

Diane continued. "While we wait for confirmation from the Agent Larkin, Team Bartowski will be running an op of its own. With the recent string of mission successes, we have the Ring on the run. Unfortunately, as a result, a new player has risen from the shadows. Has anyone heard of Alexei Volkoff?"

The team shook their heads 'no'.

Beckman wasn't surprised. "Alexei Volkoff founded and runs the organization Volkoff Industries. When the groups like Fulcrum and the Ring were our main concerns, Volkoff Industries have been overlooked since they were never really a threat. But now that Fulcrum is no more, and the Ring is in a weakened state, Volkoff has taken advantage of the power struggle."

Chuck spoke. "General, so you're saying that Volkoff Industries have basically taken over the control the Ring once had?"

"That is correct Agent Carmichael."

"What is it we need to do?" Sarah asked.

"We have gathered intel on a warehouse located in Prague. We've confirmed it to be one of the bases of operations for Volkoff Industries situated around the world. The intel also suggests, that this man…" A picture of what looked like a giant appeared on half the screen. "…Yuri Gobrienko, a.k.a. The Gobbler, is in charge of the facility. A deadly bio-weapon containing a Chimera virus is being stored there until they're able to move it for mass processing and distribution."

With Volkoff Industries being such an unknown until now, Chuck was curious as to how they acquired such detailed information.

"Ma'am, how accurate is this intel, and who's the source?"

"Since it's from your father Chuck, I think the information is pretty trustworthy."

Carina asked, "So what are our mission objectives General?"

"Well, I want team Bartowski to obtain the Chimera virus and to capture Yuri Gobrienko alive. He is a high ranking soldier for Volkoff, so the information he knows could be priceless. However, he is highly dangerous. He got the nickname because he sometimes eats his victims. So although I want him alive, if you have no choice, terminate him…You'll be leaving tomorrow at 06:00…Any questions?"

Chuck stepped forward. "Uh general, I actually have a request that impacts the team."

Sarah's mind went into complete 'freak out mode'. _He's going to ask for a new partner, I just know it!_

Sarah turned her head and leered at Carina, who shrank under the blonde's chilling gaze.

Beckman was a little surprised. She thought everything between Walker and Bartowski were going well.

"What is it Bartowski?"

"I would like to add a new member to the team."

Everyone was confused as to who Chuck wanted to add, and quite frankly why.

The General had a bad feeling. "And who is that pray tell?"

"Actually the individual in question is waiting right outside. Let me go get that person."

Chuck took a couple of steps towards the stairs, but then he stopped and turned towards everybody.

"Keep an open mind."

Chuck disappeared out the secret entrance of Castle.

Casey voiced his concerns. "We don't need another agent on the team. Knowing Bartowski, it's probably going to be a moron just like him."

"Did anyone know about this?" Sarah asked.

Everyone said 'no'.

Chuck came back with the guest in tow.

Casey growled while the three female agents looked on with incredulous stares.

Since the computer screen was facing away from the stairs, the General had no idea who this new agent was. Judging by the reactions from the rest of the team, she was sure adding this new person was going to turn out to be a cluster fuck.

Chuck stepped into the General's sight, and the person who followed nearly gave her a damn stroke.

"Hell no, that bearded troll is not joining this team. He doesn't even have any training." Casey barked.

Morgan was about to retort, but he thought about what the Colonel actually said, and it was true. He just shrugged in agreement.

Beckman shook herself out of her stupor.

"Bartowski, explain yourself."

"Look General, I know that Morgan doesn't have any training, but neither did I at first. Plus, it's not like he's coming with us out on the field."

Morgan and Chuck had already discussed the role the bearded one would have, but Grimes decided to try for one last Hail Mary to join the team out on actual missions.

"About that Chuck, I was thinking…"

"Morgan!" Chuck warned.

Morgan held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright"

Beckman was slightly curious as to what would Grimes' role be on Team Bartowski.

"So if he's not going out with the team, what exactly is his role, Cheerleader?"

Everyone was shocked at the small joke Beckman just delivered. True, it was barely a joke, and it wasn't even that funny, but the General showing humor was like a hippie that didn't smoke…Rare.

Chuck recovered and answered. "He's going to stay in Castle and assist Agent Andrews."

Tiffany was not pleased. "So along with keeping your asses alive, I'm going to be on babysitting duties?"

Morgan tried to state his case. "Look, I know I've boasted about my mad work avoidance skills, but I'm completely serious when it comes to this. I want to help the team. I want to help this country, and I can do this!"

Chuck tried to help. "Come on Tiffany, you and I will just train him on how to operate Castle. For this mission just give him the basics on the communications. He'll basically be your assistant. You're in charge of our base, and he knows that. Morgan will respect that. He knows this isn't a game, we just got to have faith in the little man."

The idea of Morgan Guillermo Grimes joining Team Bartowski surprisingly didn't make Diane want to pull her hair out. I mean she never even thought of the possibility, even when she gave Chuck permission to read in his sister, brother-in-law, and best friend. There was no chance she would let Grimes go on missions, but what harm could he really do in Castle? Why not give Chuck, who was one of her favorite agents aside from Casey, something so simple.

Beckman spoke. "Well, if the rest of the team agrees, then I see no problem with it…However, if Grimes messes up, it's your ass Chuck. And you owe me."

The General smirked, which resulted in Chuck returning with his very own smile.

Not in a million years would have Chuck believed that he actually shared some semblance of a relationship with the General. Dare he say they were almost frie-…nah, that's crazy! It was more of a mutual respect. My; how things have changed since the Intersect days.

Sarah realizing that the General was in a good mood, decided to bring up her recent request.

"Ma'am, did you decide on a decision for my request for permanent reassignment to Team Bartowski?"

The General arched her eyebrow in slight confusion. _Are we still on this? Oh right, I have to keep up appearances._

"I'll give you my decision after this current mission Agent Walker."

Sarah nodded. She needed this mission to be a success.

Chuck looked to the rest of the group.

"So…Morgan…yes?"

He could see the hesitancy in all their eyes, but he knew he had them.

Chuck turned to his best friend. "Welcome to the team buddy!"

Carina shook her head. "No one agreed Chuck."

Chuck just gave her his Bartowski special smile. "Now you know you guys can never say no to me."

Casey face palmed. "We're doomed!"

* * *

**May 2010**

**Prague, Czech Republic**

Casey lay in a prone position casing the perimeter through his Barrett M107CQ, a couple of miles away on the south side of the warehouse. Carina was crouched a couple feet from the Colonel in order to make sure they didn't get blindsided.

Facing the north end of the building, Chuck lay in that same position looking through the scope of his AIG Asymmetric Warrior ASW338LM, with Sarah providing lookout, same as Carina.

Chuck cued his mic. "Casey, there's 4 guards situated on the north side of the warehouse…actually, looking at Cortana, and the layout Andrews and Grimes sent me, this place is more of a facility than a warehouse."

Casey growled. "Will you shut it Carmichael…I have only 3 guards on the south side. How do you want to play this out?"

Chuck's voice rang out through Casey's earpiece.

"There's no way we can do this quietly. There are too many guards and the security system is a lot more complex than I thought…I say we take out the patrols around the complex as quickly and quietly as we can. Then Walker and I will look for the Chimera virus while you and Miller grab Yuri…Everybody ok with that?"

Walker, Miller, and Casey all responded with a simple 'yes'.

Casey counted down from 5, and when he hit 1, both Chuck and Casey proceeded to take out the patrols around the facility. The Colonel of course was flawless on his kill shots, while Chuck used heavy dosed tranq darts.

Virtually all of Chucks weapons were customized to fire darts because he simply refused to use live ammunition unless absolutely necessary. But of course like always, the one gun that shot real bullets was his Smith & Wesson Series V, that he carried strapped to his ankle…just in case.

Once both outfits saw the final guard hit the ground, all four agents rushed the compound. Unfortunately for Team Bartowski, Chuck wasn't kidding when he said the security for the facility was complex. Apparently Volkoff didn't kid around when it came to protecting his organization.

Luckily, Orion had developed something special for his son for these very occasions.

Chuck nodded to Sarah, and she took out a circular device which she attached to the keypad of the door. On the other side, Carina did the same.

The device attached to the doors was created by Orion, but the idea for the product was entirely Chucks. What it essentially was was a centralized EMP. The device…named 'Empower' by Chuck, after the super-heroine 'Empowered' obviously…gave off a high intensity directed EMP which only affected whatever it was attached to. What made the device appropriate for this particular problem was the fact that Orion built a special feature where the device would hack into the system and it would imitate whatever the Empower was attached to. This made it look like everything was running normal when in reality the device would short circuit whatever it was used upon.

The second the doors unlocked, Casey and Miller rushed in, in search of Yuri. Chuck and Sarah on the other hand held back.

Chuck connected back to Castle.

"Andrews, can you study the plans to the facility and send me the most likely location for the lab?"

A couple minutes later, Tiffany responded. "Best bet is the East side of the building. I've sent you a marker on Cortana, so just follow that."

Morgan's voice came on the earpiece the moment Tiffany finished.

"You're welcome."

Chuck laughed, and was about to open the door when Sarah stopped him. He turned to her, worried that something might be wrong.

"Are you ok?"

Sarah smiled. "Yeah, I just…don't do anything stupid. Be careful in there."

Chuck gave her a quick peck on the lips. "You know me."

Sarah nodded. "That's why I said it."

He rolled his eyes, and they proceeded in.

* * *

Carina and Casey worked their way through the halls, taking out anyone who got in there way. They went down one particular hall that had a lot of personnel, and figured it was their best bet in finding Yuri Gobrienko. When they got to the end, it emptied out into a huge room that contained a cache of weapons, drugs, and money.

Inside, they could see around 15 men. Some were dressed in plain street clothes, while others had police uniforms on. Right in the middle was Yuri, who was ordering everybody around.

Carina whispered "Looks like Volkoff has the police force on his payroll."

Casey growled "I hate dirty cops!"

"How do you want to handle this Casey?"

"Throw our flash bangs and kill everybody but Yuri."

Carina smirked "So the usual Johnny?"

He grunted.

They each detached a flash bang from their vests, retracted their arms, and threw the explosives towards the middle of the room.

Once the flash bangs lit up the room, both Casey and Carina ran in and took cover behind a couple of barrels. They looked over the top of their cover and started to fire upon the enemy.

Casey managed to take out 6 while Carina took out 5 before the corrupt cops and Volkoff's men recovered and took cover.

Yuri yelled out to his men, „Jsou u vchodu!"** ("They're by the entrance!")**

Casey keyed his mic. "Walker, we located Yuri, and we might need some help if this firefight drags out too long. Hurry up and grab the virus!"

"We're almost there, keep them busy." She responded.

Yuri turned to one of his men and said „Nastavte autodestrukci a zajistěte ten virus, pak uzavřete budovu." **(****"Commence the self destruct sequence and bring me the virus. Once you get it, lock down the facility.")**

„Jak dlouho bude trvat, než se spustí autodestrukce?" **(****"How much time for the self destruct sequence?") **The man asked.

„30 minut by mělo stačit. S těmihle to vyřídíme. " **(****"30 minutes should be enough time. We'll dispatch of them quickly.")  
**

* * *

Chuck and Sarah turned the corner and found the lab. They entered the room, but the scientists apparently were too busy since they didn't notice the agents entered the room.

Chuck was about to say something to the scientists when an alarm rang out through the base.

A voice over the intercom spoke. „Během 30 minut to tu vyletí do vzduchu. Hezký den všem." **(****"This facility will self destruct in 30 minutes…Have a nice day.")**

Chuck looked over to Sarah. "Well that doesn't sound good."

The scientists all sprinted for the exit, ignoring the two agents in their way, but before the last one could escape, Sarah grabbed him.

Chuck pointed his Five-SeveN at the guys face.

"Give me the Chimera virus."

The scientist didn't know the gun only shot tranqs, and at the moment, he didn't really care. All he wanted to do was get the hell out of the building before it exploded. Unfortunately, he had no idea what these two intruders wanted since he couldn't speak English.

„Já.. Já… Já nechápu…" **(****"I…I…I don't understand.")**

Sarah looked at Chuck and shrugged. Out of all the damn languages she knew, Czech was of course not one of them!

Chuck typed something into Cortana. When he was done, he looked up at the scientist.

"Uh…„Dejte mi Chiméru!" **(****"Give onto me the Chimera.")**

The scientist nodded and went over to the middle table that had a mini incubator on top of it.

"Chuck, go deal with the scientist, I'll keep watch by the door."

Chuck went over to where the guy was working while Sarah went to the door.

It took several minutes, but the Czech scientist was finally able to take the test tube out from the incubator. He then placed it in a silver canister, and handed it to the male agent.

Chuck smiled, typed something into Cortana, and looked back up.

„Děkuji vám… Cože to?" **(****"Thank you…Now what did the voice of the building say?")**

Before the scientist could answer, Sarah started shooting down the hall to her right.

"Chuck, hurry we got to get out of here."

The Intercom activated again, and the same mechanical voice spoke out through the speakers.

„20 minut do exploze… Komplex se uzavírá." **(****"20 minutes till self destruction…Building lockdown initiated.")**

Chuck was holding down a button on Cortana, and it recorded and translated what the voice over the PA system said.

His eyes grew wide as he started dragging the scientist along with him towards the exit.

Sarah was leaning outside the door in order to fire her weapon. Half of her was in the hall, while the other half of her body was in the lab. Since she was busy dealing with the men firing at her down the hall, she didn't notice the metal barrier directly above her, start to come down.

Chuck saw it and knew he was too far to reach the exit in time. The building was going to explode soon and he needed her safe. While still in full stride, he grabbed the scientist who was slightly behind him, and pushed him towards Sarah.

The scientist collided with Sarah, and they both fell into the hall.

Sarah looked down the hall and was surprised she wasn't Swiss cheese at the moment.

The guards left after hearing they only had 20 minutes before the facility self destructed. The man in charge of retrieving the virus didn't expect to run into any opposition, so he decided to just escape when he realized it was taking too long to get to the lab.

Sarah picked herself up and ignored the scientist who seemed to be running for his life. She looked back at the lab door and found a metal barrier blocking the door.

She cued her mic. "Chuck what the hell happened!"

Chuck pressed a couple of buttons on Cortana so that he and Sarah would be speaking on a private frequency for their mics. He didn't want the rest of the team to hear what he had to say.

"Sarah, the place is gonna blow in less than 20 minutes. You got to go help Carina and Casey, and get the hell out of here."

Sarah became furious. "I'm not leaving you, you idiot!"

"Sarah it's going to take a lot of focus for me to hack into the system and open this door, and I can't do that if I know you're still here."

"Chuck…"

"Agent Walker, go and help the rest of our team, that's an order!"

"Who the hell do you think you are…"

"Sarah please! We're running out of time, and I won't be able to focus knowing you're going to be caught in the explosion. I promise I'll meet you guys at the rendezvous spot when I get out of here."

Sarah was torn. The agent side of her knew she couldn't help Chuck get out of that room and that she needed to help the rest of her team, but the side that was becoming more dominant, the 'normal' side, screamed that she would rather die with Chuck then to leave him to this fate.

She made a decision. She knew it was the right choice, because if her presence was making it more difficult for Chuck to get out of that room, then she needed to leave to give him the best chance at living.

"Chuck you better not break your promise…I love you."

"I love you too Sarah. Be careful."

Sarah took off towards Casey and Carina while she desperately held back the tears threatening to spill. There was no way she was going to cry because she knew Chuck. He would never break a promise to her. He probably was going to be the first one at the rendezvous spot…yeah that's right, he'll be there.

Chuck connected back to Castle and keyed his mic.

"Hey guys, mind finding me another way out of the lab?"

You could hear the confusion in Morgan's tone.

"Why can't you use the door you came from?"

Even though time was running out, he couldn't help but laugh. Good ole Morgan.

"Well I would buddy, but there's currently a solid metal object blocking my path. One of Volkoff's men must have triggered a lockdown of the facility when Casey and Carina engaged them…Oh, but the best part is that they set the whole place to blow and I have less than 20 minutes to get out of here…YAY!"

Tiffany's voice blasted through his ear, and she had a frantic tone to her voice.

"Just stay calm Chuck, I'm studying the plans right now…You'll be fine, I won't let anything happen to you."

Back at Castle, Tiffany's fingers were working at an unbelievably fast rate. Morgan was hypnotized at the pace she was going.

* * *

Sarah got to the main room that Carina and Casey were at and was stunned for a quick second at what she saw.

Both her teammates were fighting, what it seemed like, an ogre.

She didn't know why they weren't using their guns to subdue him since it looked like Yuri was the only one left, but time was quickly running out, and frankly she didn't care.

Yuri threw a right hook that connected with Casey's jaw and then fluidly transitioned into backhanding Carina with his left. The two agents fell to the ground, blood leaking from their mouths.

Sarah just walked up to Yuri, withdrew her tranq pistol…curtsey of Chuck…and fired right into the giant's chest.

The gobbler wobbled, but didn't go down.

When Yuri took a step towards Sarah, she shot him again. And yet again, he didn't go down.

Carina got up from the ground and yelled "JUST EMPTY THE WHOLE CLIP WALKER!"

Sarah kept firing till she was on empty, and before Yuri collapsed, Casey charged and delivered a brutal right hook to the giant.

Yuri went down with a 'thud'.

Sarah went over to Carina to check if she was ok.

"Casey, grab Yuri and let's go."

Casey grunted "Yeah, going to need a little help Walker."

"Where's Chuck?" Carina asked.

Sarah didn't want to lie, but they were running out of time.

"He has the Chimera virus and he'll meet us at the rendezvous…Look we need to hurry, this pace is going to blow soon!"

* * *

„10 minut do exploze."** ("10 minutes till self destruction")**

Tiffany had tears running down her cheek as she spoke into her head set.

"Chuck, there's no other way out except the door you came in…Maybe…maybe there's some chemicals in the lab that can blow the door?"

"Tiffany, tell Sarah that I'm…"

"NO! Chuck, you will make it, now find something to blow that fucking door off!"

Andrews slammed her fist into the console and it broke Morgan out of his daze.

He keyed his headset. "I GOT IT! Chuck I know how to get that door open!"

* * *

**A/N (2): Again, so sorry this is so late. Anyone have helpful tips on breaking writers block?**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Wow over 200 reviews? You guys are all crazy for enjoying this story…Just kidding! But then again, aren't we all a little crazy? Probably not, but after reading this A/N, you can tell I have a few screws loose. **

**A little warning, this chapter might deserve an M rating. If anyone is offended, I apologize. Hopefully I wrote this tastefully enough where everyone can enjoy it. You are now warned hah.**

**Special thanks to my beta uplink2.**

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 13**

**May 2010**

**Prague, Czech Republic**

**Volkoff's base of operations in Prague**

„10 minut do exploze."** ("10 minutes till self destruction")**

Tiffany had tears running down her cheek as she spoke into her head set.

"Chuck, there's no other way out except the door you came in…Maybe…maybe there's some chemicals in the lab that can blow the door?"

"Tiffany, tell Sarah that I'm…"

"NO! Chuck, you will make it, now find something to blow that fucking door off!"

Andrews slammed her fist into the console and it broke Morgan out of his daze.

He keyed his headset. "I GOT IT! Chuck I know how to get that door open!"

Chuck wasn't really confident that any idea coming from Morgan would actually work in getting that stupid metal blockade from retracting, but what the hell?

"Sure buddy, go ahead, I'm all ears."

It was quite a testament to the training he received over the past year that Chuck wasn't panicking. Maybe it was the fact that since Sarah had finally returned his feelings towards him, he could now die happy. Or maybe he just felt like the universe owed him for kicking the crap out of him repeatedly throughout his life, and figured he wasn't meant to die today. It didn't really matter because if you could count on one thing, you damn sure as hell could count on Charles Irving Bartowski keeping a promise. He promised he would meet his team at the rendezvous spot, and nothing short of being blown up…Oh, right.

"Use the Empower device on the door Chuck!"

"Morgan, Sarah already used it on the front door, and Carina had the only other one we packed."

"OK, don't be mad Chuck but…I know you said to not pack more than two Empowers, but I figured it was better to have it and not need it than not have it and need it…or however the saying goes. That's how the saying goes right?"

Chuck started searching through his pockets for the device Morgan supposedly packed.

Morgan not hearing a response from Chuck figured he was mad, so he tried to apologize to his long time life partner.

"Please don't kick me off the team. I know you said we need to ration them until we make more, and I swear I'll listen to you next time, but you and Orion could probably make more from scratch, and…"

Chuck found the mini EMP and held it up in triumph.

He placed the canister that held the Chimera virus inside one of his vest pockets, and started applying the Empower to the keypad as he sang Morgan's praises.

"Little buddy, I would never dream of kicking you off the team. You're the Chewie to my Han."

The device worked to perfection, and the metal barrier retracted back up with a big, 'SWOOSH'.

Chuck quickly brought up the floor plans to the facility on Cortana and headed the direction for the nearest escape route.

As he sprinted towards his freedom from this deathtrap, he connected back to Castle.

"Morgan it worked! When I get back, we're going to have a game night. Pizza and grape soda are on me."

Morgan laughed. "I can never say no to grape soda."

Back at Castle, Tiffany had the biggest smile on her face. She turned to Morgan and kissed him, smack dab on the lips. Of course, she had to bend a little to accomplish that goal.

Morgan stood erect, paralyzed with the feelings of shock and exhilaration.

Tiffany realized what she was doing and physically blanched. She quickly detached her lips from the bearded one and suddenly found herself occupied with the large computer screen.

Morgan couldn't believe it. And of course no one was here to witness such a spectacular event. _Your loss Carina!_

"'Cough'…Tiffany, maybe…"

"Never going to happen, Morgan…And this…" She gestured between them. "…never happened."

"Right, right, of course." His shoulders slumped slightly at being rejected.

Tiffany smiled.

* * *

Team Bartowski, minus their leader, had finally made it to the rally point. They bound and confined Yuri in the SUV that already should have been in route to the private airfield they first arrived in. But instead of being on their way, they were all anxiously waiting for Chuck. Two of the members of the team were also suspicious that some very important information was being kept from them about the whereabouts of their nerdy leader.

Casey and Carina were waiting by the SUV, while Sarah was standing a couple of feet in front of them. She hadn't moved for the past couple of minutes, and she had both her hands clasped together, flushed against her chest, like she was praying. Sarah could have tried contacting Chuck through the coms, but she didn't want to possibly disturb him while he worked. I mean what if she contacted him, and it distracted Chuck for a split second, and that got him blown up? The truth of the matter was that she was too afraid that if she did try to reach out to Chuck, that she might not get a response. Of course, he might be too busy to respond, but the other option frightened her far worse.

It was all a mute point since Chuck's com wasn't on the same frequency as the teams at the moment. He had his com set to a private line directly to Castle. Yeah, she would just wait, because he's on his way right now.

Carina and Casey just surveyed Sarah standing in front of them. They knew she was keeping something from them, and there was a great chance it involved Chuck since they couldn't get through to him on their mics. They both deeply cared about Chuck, and they were hoping he would show up any moment now, just like Walker was probably hoping. Of course, Casey would deny any of this.

Carina walked over to Sarah. She was fed up, and as scared for Chuck as she was, she needed to know. Maybe she could go back to help him.

"Walker what the hell is going on, and where is Chuck, really?"

Sarah never moved. She just stood there with her hands clenched against her chest.

The road back to the facility, made a sharp turn about a half a mile down from their position, and that turn made it impossible to see anyone who was coming or going around that corner. That was the reason they chose this road to hide their getaway vehicle in the first place.

Sarah was desperately praying that Chuck would come around that corner any moment now so she could run straight into his arms.

Carina could sense how worried Sarah appeared, so she placed her hand on her left shoulder.

In a softer tone, she asked, "Sarah honey, what's going on?"

Sarah faced her long time friend. "Chuck...he's…"

Sarah was cut off by all three agent's earpieces coming to life.

"Guys, I made it out of the lab with the virus, and I'm on my way…I'm running out of time and…SHIT...I got to jump out of a large window now…I love you guys, even you Caaassseeeeyyyyyyyyy!"

Just then, Sarah, Casey, and Carina heard the distinctive sound of an exploding building.

The smoke rising towards the heavens snapped Sarah out of her petrification. _Did he just say he was going to jump out a window!_

Casey broke Sarah and Carina out of their horror.

"Walker, Miller; go and make sure he's OK. I'll look after Gobrienko."

Sarah and Carina didn't need to be told twice. They took off towards the flaming facility.

* * *

Chuck lay faced down, several yards away from the burning base belonging to Volkoff.

Before the facility self destructed, Chuck had jumped out the window. Unfortunately, the minute he broke through the glass, the force of the explosion caught him mid-air, and threw him like a ragdoll against some damn tree.

He had some cuts and bruises, but for the most part, he felt like the biggest problem was his slight difficulty breathing. After he bounced off the tree he was thrown against; his head smacked the ground. And sure, it was soft dirt, but still. Thankfully, he was still conscious…barely.

Chuck felt really weak, but he gathered all the strength he had and started army crawling towards where his team was supposed to be.

He heard the voices of Carina and Sarah through his earpiece, but all he could muster was a moan in response. He was using most of his strength to crawl. And most of his focus was on more pressing matters than speech…Like staying conscious and moving one arm/knee in front of the other.

Chuck heard his two female teammate's voices again, but this time it sounded like it was far off. He figured he probably had a concussion, and he was just imagining things that weren't real. But why were the voices getting louder?

Flashes of red and gold assaulted his vision and he was suddenly flipped onto his back. _What the hell? I must be really out of it._

He felt someone cradling his head in their arms, and he knew he was being held by his one true love.

"Sarah?" he croaked out.

Sarah allowed herself a small smile as she chuckled through the tears running down her pale cheeks.

"Chuck, I'm right here."

Chuck turned his head to the other kneeling agent.

"Carina…y-you, look like cra-crap."

The red head laughed as she lightheartedly slapped Chuck's chest.

"You didn't seem to mind how I looked in Mexico. If I remembered correctly, you very much loved the way I looked."

He laughed nervously, but immediately regretted it.

"Ow, ow, ow…don't make me laugh."

Carina kissed him on the forehead.

"Come on Chuckles, let's get you home."

Sarah thought she would have been jealous with another woman putting their lips on her man, but she wasn't. Sure, maybe if the situation was different, she would have been. But she was just so happy that Chuck was alive…Wait, what the hell happened in Mexico?!

_Not the time Walker!_

Carina and Sarah helped Chuck up and got on each side of him so he could use their shoulders as a crutch support. He felt so weak that they basically had to drag him to meet up with Casey.

The moment Casey got the call for extraction for the rest of his teammates, he blew out a sigh of relief as he got into the SUV and drove to where the facility was. The Colonel chuckled when he drove up to the burnt down building and saw Sarah and Carina practically carrying Bartowski. Chuck had affected so many lives, and the kid probably would never realize how infectious he truly was.

* * *

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Chuck woke with a start. He had bruises pelted on his body, a few cracked ribs here and there, and a splitting migraine…no concussion surprisingly…And after everything, after the rest he got, he felt surprisingly good. Of course the medicine he took helped tremendously.

He relaxed himself back on his bed, only slightly jostling the sleeping beauty next to him. It was strange; he never would have guessed Sarah Walker to be a deep sleeper. But out of all the times he had 'slept' with her; that's exactly what she was. He hoped it had something to do with him. Hopefully he made her feel safe, comfortable, and loved when they were together…he knew that's how he felt.

He turned left and stared at the goddess next to him. She looked so beautiful and peaceful. Sarah was an angel plain and simple…An angel with a devil complex maybe.

Chuck sighed as he recounted the last 48 hours.

Team Bartowski had made a detour to D.C. to drop off Yuri and the virus; and to get Chuck checked out, even though he argued that he was fine. The doctor examined him and what a shocker, he was fine…well sort of. A little worse for wear, but nothing a little TLC and rest couldn't fix.

The worst part of this whole ordeal wasn't the pain he was in however, it was his female teammates. They acted like slightly lesser versions of his sister. Of course no one could do a full on Ellie like…well Ellie…but they were driving him nuts. Any sane man would love the full attention of two gorgeous women, but he knew when he got home he was going to have to face the Mama Bear version of his sister. So why couldn't he get more loving and less lecturing from the blonde and red headed women in his life?

The more Chuck thought back to the mission in Prague, the more grateful he felt that he had almost been blown up. That may sound crazy…scratch that, it was crazy…but the explosion had actually knocked some sense into him. He was being so stupid when it came to Sarah and he finally realized that.

Why was he waiting for the perfect moment to be with Sarah? As long as he was with her, any time would be perfect and special.

Chuck must have really zoned out because next thing he knew, a pair of deep oceanic eyes were staring right at him.

"Uh, hi…I didn't know you were awake…I didn't wake you did I?"

She smiled sleepily at him. "Kind of; what were you thinking about? You seemed pretty far away."

"I've been thinking about a lot of things, mostly though, about us."

Sarah's eyes slightly widen in fear. _What the hell?!_

Chuck seeing Sarah's reaction quickly placed his hand on her cheek to reassure her.

"No, no, no, nothing like that…I love you, don't ever doubt that."

She softly purred under his touch. Just by one simple touch, he could elicit so many sensations out of her.

Sarah knew Chuck really did love her, but she could never get over the fact that they were actually together. She felt she didn't deserve him, and no matter what he did, she would always feel that way. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing because she would fight tooth and nail to protect this gift she's been given.

Chuck tried retracting his hand from her face, but Sarah held it in place.

"What about us, Chuck?" Even with Chuck reassuring her, she was still slightly worried about where this conversation was going.

"First, I want to apologize for breaking my promise."

Sarah laughed. "Chuck, you were caught in an explosion. I think I can give you some slack."

He smiled, but then it faded.

"I've been such an idiot Sarah. The fact that it took me almost dying for me to realize that, proves that Casey is right…I am a moron."

Sarah brought Chuck's hand, the one resting on her left cheek, to her mouth and kissed it. She hated when he was so self deprecating. He was the most amazing man she had ever known, so why was it so hard for him to see that?

"You're not a moron Chuck...Where are you going with this?"

"I have you back in my life, and I guess subconsciously I wanted everything to be perfect so there wasn't a chance you would regret your decision to come back. I wanted everything to be just right…That was part of the reason I wanted to take things slow. I wouldn't be able to handle it if I lost you again."

Sarah moved closer to Chuck and gave in to her hunger. She kissed him.

When they released each other's lips she spoke as she tried catching her breath.

"Chuck…you're not going to lose me. It doesn't have to be perfect…I love you and nothing is going to ever change that, I promise."

"But Sarah don't you see? As long as we're together, it will always be perfect. We don't need anything to make what we have special, because, what we have already is. Why wait just to squander what we have right now?"

_Can he be any more perfect? _Sarah's loved filled eyes suddenly had a mischievous glint to them as she measured what exactly he was saying.

"So…" She licked her lips. "…what were we waiting for exactly?"

Chuck came undone as he saw Sarah start biting on her bottom lip.

He attacked.

As heavenly as Sarah tasted, Chuck couldn't help but notice her hesitation when her hands started running up his body. When he pulled back, he saw her eyes flicker towards his torso, some bruising still quite evident.

"Chuck, maybe this isn't such good idea." _Did I really just say that?!_

He looked at her with mirth in his eyes.

"Now Ms. Walker, don't you know that when you suffer from fractured ribs, you should do some **deep breathing** exercises. That way you don't suffer from a collapsed lung or pneumonia."

He got back on her and started kissing down her jaw towards her neck, only stopping when he spoke in between kisses.

"So…in essence…you're practically…saving…my life."

Sarah's giggles quickly subsided, making way for her ragged breaths.

Both were so consumed with each other, that they didn't hear the front door open, and the loud stomping headed straight for their room.

The door to the room swung open.

"CHUCK!"

Chuck quickly whipped his head towards the intruder and could feel himself turn as red as a cherry.

"Ellie, what the hell are you doing here?!"

The brunette narrowed her eyes at the couple on the bed.

"I had to hear from everybody, except you two, that my idiot brother was injured on a mission! And Sarah, why are you encouraging sex at a time like this? He needs rest!"

Sarah was horrified and her faced showed it. She buried her face into Chuck's chest, unable to look at the elder Bartowski.

Chuck sighed. "El, a doctor in D.C. checked me out already, and I'm fine. I love you sis, but get out!"

Even though Ellie could hear the firmness in his command, she caught the underlying pleading in his voice as well. She wondered if she interrupted something more paramount than sex.

She looked at the blonde. "Is that true? Is he ok?"

Sarah nodded sheepishly.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Fine, but we are going to the hospital later so I can give you a full examination…And we definitely need to talk about some things. Don't think I haven't noticed that you've been avoiding me."

She turned and left, muttering under her breath, "You would think they never had sex with each other before."

Chuck yelled "YES MOM!" after his retreating sister.

He dropped his head into the crook of Sarah's neck in resignation.

"Sorry about that. She can be little…well you know Ellie."

Sarah shivered feeling his hot breath on her neck. She couldn't help it, so she ran her hand through his curls.

"It's ok. She cares about you and just worries. Everybody does."

"Maybe we should stop. I mean Ellie kind of killed the mood." _What the hell?_

He gave an unassured laugh. Chuck was lying, and he needed this, but he also wanted her to desire it as well.

Sarah saw right through him. She knew Chuck still wanted her, and she most definitely wanted him. She smiled knowing how Chuck would suffer just in order to please her.

Sarah flipped him over on his back as she straddled him, making sure she didn't put too much wait on his chest

She looked directly into his coffee brown eyes. "I want this."

Sarah proceeded to pull her shirt over her head…the shirt was actually Chucks', but that's splitting hairs…and quickly tossed it to the ground.

Chuck nearly swallowed his tongue. He knew she didn't wear a bra under her shirt when she slept, but actually seeing it was a different beast all together.

Chuck lay there, frozen by Sarah's perfect, perky, slightly pinkish mounds of heaven. He was surprised his eyes didn't shoot out of his head like the cartoons he watched..._when I was a little kid of course_.

_How long have I been starring? _"Oh…Wow…Y-you are so, so, so, so beautiful."

Sarah flushed. She had guys compliment her all the time, but Chuck was different. When he complimented her, it always carried something more than words. Sarah had only realized recently that what his words carried, was love.

She descended on him and took his lips. Sarah felt Chuck open his moth once she ran her tongue over his lower lip and gave it a little nibble. Their tongues danced as she heard the light moan of pleasure coming from the back of her own throat.

Chuck heard the noise emanating from her, and it drove him up a wall. When he felt her soft breasts rub against his chest, he was amazed that he didn't reach his release.

He was in complete ecstasy with the way Sarah was making him feel, but it wasn't just about him. It should be about the both of them…and if he had it his way, all about her.

Chuck caught Sarah off guard and flipped her so that he was now on top.

She gasped at the sudden position change, and it really excited her to see Chuck take control. She loved him, but an assertive Chuck, made her hot in so many ways.

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before he repeated what he was doing before they were rudely interrupted. His kisses started trailing south.

He tasted every inch of her as he arrived to where he lusted after. Chuck took Sarah's hardened left nipple into his mouth as he rolled it with his tongue and grazed it with his teeth. His left hand went up to knead her right breast, which would be the next destination for his mouth soon enough.

Sarah groaned as she arched her back and brought her hands behind his head to force Chuck to take her into his mouth even more.

Chuck gave one last flick of his tongue as he released his current mouth full, and took Sarah's other heavenly mound of flesh into his mouth. He repeated the motions with her right breast, as he had done previously, with her left one, and Sarah reacted just as appreciatively.

Chuck could feel the heat emanating from her body and it prompted him to trail his right hand towards the direction of her thighs.

He stroked her inner thighs, and could hear and feel the change in Sarah's breath.

Chuck gave her nipple one last lick as he retracted his head to stare down at his angel.

He smiled at the sight before him. Chuck's hand was only skirting around her thighs, and her chest was already ruggedly rising and falling. Sarah's eyes were shut tight, and she was biting her lip so hard, he was half expecting blood to be drawn soon.

She couldn't take it anymore. All his right hand was doing, was rubbing sensuously up and down her inner thighs, and it was already making her wetter than she ever thought was possible.

He had to know the power he had over her. It was torture, heavenly torture, but torture none-the-less. She needed her sweet release.

"P-p-please Ch-Ch-uck…" Sarah sputtered through her clenched jaw.

There was no way he could resist her when she was like this, so he decided to give his love what she craved.

He advanced his hand inside of her soaked cotton panties, and ran his fingers along her outer lips.

Sarah started to tremble so she hugged Chuck in order to stabilize herself, as she awaited the fireworks.

When Chuck felt Sarah latch onto him, he knew it was time to stop prolonging this. He slipped one of his fingers in as he pumped in and out of her.

Sarah gasped. She bit into his shoulder to stifle her loud cries.

Feeling her bite into his skin made him smirk. He couldn't register the pain. Instead, it only made him more aroused. He slipped in another finger and bent the two as he continued the piston like motion.

Sarah loved the salty taste of Chuck's skin, but she couldn't fight anymore. She spit his shoulder out of her mouth and started yelling his name like a mantra.

Chuck started moving his fingers harder and faster. With one quick swipe of his thumb over her clit…that was all she wrote. He could feel the walls inside her constrict around his fingers as well as the extra lubrication.

The second Chuck's thumb grazed her bundle of nerves, Sarah's body started to convulse. She yelled his name a final time as she released all that had built up inside her.

Sarah had never in her life, let go this much. There was no misconception, she had sex before, but this had already exceeded all those other times. And she hadn't even done anything to him yet! Was this the difference between sex and making love? She felt completely vulnerable as she gave all control and her trust over to Chuck. The results were…mind blowing. This was definitely better than sex!

After Sarah had ridden out her orgasm, she collapsed on the bed.

Chuck had a smile as big as The Joker…_arch-nemesis of Batman naturally_.

"Wow…Chuck I…" Sarah slapped her palm against her forehead. "...How am I supposed to top that?"

He softly chuckled as a devilish grin made its way onto his face. He positioned himself on top of her as he lowered his head and grazed his lips against her left ear.

Chuck gave her earlobe a quick flick with his tongue as he whispered, "I'm not done yet."

Sarah's eyes widened in shock; his breathy words sent a chill down her spine that made her wet once more. How could he not be done? Wasn't it his turn? From previous experiences, hell, it was always the guy's turn. She would never get a turn, and if she was lucky, she would get off before the guy could. But here she was, utterly sated, and Chuck wasn't finished yet…_WHAT, THE, HELL?!_

"Chuck, you don't need to…"

He cut her off. "Let me rephrase this Sarah. You're done when I say you're done."

Chuck knew what he had just said was a gamble…well more like a calculated risk. He wasn't an idiot, he noticed how Sarah reacted the times he got a little forceful with her. He wanted her to reach new heights, and he would do anything, even if it was a little uncomfortable.

Sarah quickly inhaled a sharp breath. She said nothing as she nodded in submission.

Chuck kissed her hard which resulted in Sarah releasing a moan.

He released her lips and quickly positioned his body so his face was in line with her navel.

As he started kissing her toned stomach, making sure he tasted her salty flesh, he forced her legs apart with his hands. He could feel Sarah trembling, and that caused him to stop. _Did I take it too far?_

He looked up from his position and suddenly, brown mixed with blue.

When Sarah felt Chuck's strong hands part her legs, she almost climaxed a second time. She felt him stop his assault of her stomach from his lips, so she peered down, curious as to why. The fear was evident in his coffee colored eyes.

"Please keep going Chuck" she breathlessly whispered.

Chuck continued his attack. When he felt satisfied, he lowered himself between her thighs, pulled her panties off, and placed her legs over his shoulders.

Sarah could feel the warm breath ghosting over her between her legs, and that practically caused her eyes to roll in the back of her head. She twitched her hips in order to convey to Chuck that she was more than ready.

He felt the quick jump of her hips. Chuck didn't need to hear Sarah voice anything, her movements were more than enough.

He tasted her sweetness as he ran his tongue along her lips until he finally probed her folds with it.

Sarah grabbed a fist full of brown curls with both her hands as she panted out his name.

Chuck couldn't get enough of her. And by the way she was ripping his hair from his scalp; he figured Sarah loved it as well.

Sarah couldn't believe she was so close to a release just after such a short amount of time from her previous release. And she thought his fingers were magic! She could feel the pressure building in her pelvic region, and she was ready for Chuck to take her over the edge once more.

"Please baby…I'm so close…" she breathed.

Chuck heard Sarah, and just like before, he couldn't deny his love.

He took her clit into his mouth as he started sucking. Two of his fingers were added seconds later, and the familiar feeling of her walls constricting around his fingers came shortly after.

The moment Chuck took her into his mouth, she could have sworn to temporary blindness. She wanted to hold out a little longer to lavish in the feelings Chuck gave her, but she just couldn't.

Sarah came to her climax and released. This one was more potent then the last. Her body trembled as it was weaning itself off from the constant high it was on. She didn't speak since she couldn't trust her voice, not to crack. Sarah had heard enough of her own voice anyway, since she had just got done yelling Chuck's name like he was her God.

Chuck gently placed Sarah's long luscious legs onto the bed, and plopped himself down next to her. The effects of her orgasm were still visible, but the need to have her in his arms was just too great at the moment. He wrapped his left arm under her, as he pulled her to his chest, into their favorite sleeping position. Sarah's head was now using his chest as a pillow, as usual, as he hugged both his arms around her and held her tight. He couldn't have been happier if he tried.

Sarah laid there, content…and just plain giddy…as she peppered his defined, and slightly fuzzy, chest with kisses. Although she didn't think she could handle another 'Chuck induced' orgasm, she was definitely getting hungry for something in particular.

Her left hand drifted down, and grasped his appendage.

Chuck gulped. "Sa-Sarah…you d-don't have to…"

Sarah silenced him as she repeated the exact words he spoke to her earlier.

"Shhh...You're done when I tell you you're done."

She wiggled out of his arms and slowly headed south, making sure her breasts and lips always kept in contact with his body.

Chuck started to take deep breaths. He was perfectly fine with not getting his release, since it had pleased him immensely that he was able to please Sarah. But, he was still a man, and if she was so adamant about it…who was he to stop the amazing Sarah Walker?

He was surprised he hadn't hit his climax, the moment he felt her soft, wet, warm mouth descend upon him. The sight of the movement of her head unnerved him and…_OH GOD, IS SHE STARRING UP AT ME?!_

How he was keeping his composure as she looked at him with those deep blue soul piercing eyes, as she continued bobbing her head, he had no fucking idea! All he knew was that he wanted to last as long as he could.

Chuck started running through images to try to slow the process of his inevitable release.

_Ok, ok, ok…Morgan, Casey, Devon…That won't work, they are all oddly good looking…Diane, Tiffany, Carina…What the hell, that's worse, Oh God!...Wienerlicious' disgusting corndogs…Wait, Sarah use to work there…She would always wear that uniform with the pigtails and...DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! ...The Buy More…Jeff and Lester…Whew, that helped a little._

Sarah was slightly rattled that she hadn't been able to bring Chuck over the edge yet. But with the way he writhed underneath her, and all the expressions his face showed, she knew he was definitely close.

She released him, making sure to give one last long lick, and straddled him as her entrance hovered over his appendage. Sarah wanted to screw him sideways, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't aroused and yearning to have him inside of her.

Helping guide Chuck in, she carefully descended as she engulfed him.

Chuck blew out a heavy breath as he groaned. The feeling of being inside of Sarah was more incredible than he ever imagined. He wished it never had to end, but there was no way in hell he would be able to last much longer.

She took Chuck to the base and her legs almost gave out. Apparently, everything about Chuck was pure magic.

Sarah could tell he was close, so she started to quicken her pace. She was relatively close herself, but she figured he was going to finish before she could, and that was completely fine with her. Chuck had already taken her over the edge twice already, so now it should be all about him.

The pressure just kept building, and he knew it was almost time…unfortunately. Chuck tried and tried to prolong the experience because besides the ecstasy he felt, he wanted to release at the same time she did. He figured she wasn't close yet, so he took matters into his own hands.

Chuck gripped each side of Sarah's hips and started thrusting harder.

Sarah cried out in pleasure as she placed her hands over his, and met him thrust for thrust.

Chuck released the grip he had from his right hand and quickly started playing with her bundle of nerves, as the pace of their thrusts became more frantic and erratic.

Sarah wanted to make Chuck reach his climax, but here she was again, on the verge of being taken over the edge by Chuck again. Why hadn't she made love with him until now?

She threw her head back and screamed in pleasure as she let go for the third time.

Chuck surprised himself by, 1) making Sarah release for a third time, and 2) actually outlasting her. But the moment he felt her walls tighten he became unhinged and let himself go.

Sarah collapsed onto Chuck's chest, with him still inside of her. They both lay there; sweaty, exhausted, and satisfied, as they both came down from their highs. Chuck was in slight discomfort with having Sarah's full weight on his chest, but he didn't care. He didn't want to move, ever.

When she found the will to move again, she hopped off and snuggled against him. Sarah quickly went to her favorite sleeping position as she laid her head on his chest as Chuck swaddled her into his arms.

She didn't know what had gotten into her…well, that's not true, it was Chuck…but she felt that all her fears and insecurities had just melted away. It was probably the ecstasy and bliss she was riding, but what if it wasn't? It made no difference whether this feeling lasted until they left this room, or would now stay with her the rest of her life. Sarah at this moment had the overwhelming urge to show Chuck the 'real girl' under the agent façade, and she needed him to see it.

Sarah mumbled something into his chest that Chuck couldn't quite understand.

He laughed. "As cute as that was sweetie, I didn't quite catch that."

She looked up at him, and made sure to catch his eyes so there wouldn't be any misconception.

"My name…my real name, is Sam, Samantha Lisa Reynolds."

_Sam?_ "Ok."

Chuck didn't expect this, and to be honest, it was all a little anticlimactic. I mean sure, he felt unbelievably heart warmed that she actually divulged her birth name to him. And yeah, if he had found out that Sarah had told someone else…Brandon Routh comes to mind for some reason…instead of him, he would have been completely heartbroken surely. But if he actually thought about it, it didn't really matter. Chuck knew who Sarah really was. Why would a name change that?

Sarah was dumbfounded to put it simply.

"Ok? That's it…I tell you my real name and all you have to say is, ok?"

He shrugged. "The past is just that, the past. All that matters is the present…and our future of course…When you tell me things about yourself, I want you to do it because you actually want to tell me about your history. And I never want you to feel pressured that you have to tell me, or worried what I might think."

Sarah had the brightest smile Chuck had ever seen, on her face. It practically blinded him.

He gave her the Bartowski special in return. "If it's any consolation, I think Sam is a cute name."

Her pout turned into mock anger. "Don't ever call me that name."

"I'm not going to lie. I might slip from time to time …" Chuck chucked. He then planted a kiss on her forehead. "…But you'll always be Sarah to me. You'll always be my Sarah."

Sarah's heart was bursting at the connective tissues from all the love she was feeling. She had had many names in her life, but the one that finally felt right was Sarah, Chuck's Sarah.

"And you'll always be my Chuck."

They gave each other an affectionate kiss.

When they separated, Sarah spoke.

"The team's expecting us later tonight since they all thought you should rest up a bit. What do you think we should do?" She had an innocent look about her.

Chuck became flushed. "Uh…rest?"

Sarah started shaking her head 'no' as she attacked.

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Ring Headquarters**

Bryce and Orion had set up a sniper's nest on a hilltop a good distance away from the farm. Beckman's tactical team were positioned a good distance behind them, making sure to stay out of sight, but close enough if the need arise. On the outside, the farm just looked like a regular farm. Of course the men coming and going that Bryce had flashed on, and the guards all around the place gave it away. Add in the fact that Orion had determined there was an underground facility below the farm, through satellite imaging, and they were building a pretty solid case that they were at the location of the main Ring headquarters.

Orion thought they had enough to bring to the General since the Intersect had identified a plethora of high ranking Ring officials. I mean why else would they all be in the same place after the Ring had taken such a humongous blow. They obviously need to regroup with their recent failures, and the 'death' of the human Intersect. And through Shaw, they had discovered where that was exactly.

Bryce wasn't so sure. All signs pointed to this being the place…hell even his gut told him that was the case…but he had been wrong before. Ever since he had gotten the damn Intersect, things have gone pear shaped. He needed to come out on top with this because his career, his livelihood, was at stake.

A part of him also needed this win so he could be at peace with himself. The Intersect he had downloaded was obviously faulty, even he wasn't stubborn enough to deny that. And because of that fact, it had turned him into the ultimate douche bag. Sure, Bryce knew he was a confident prick, but the things that he had done and said in the past year, definitely wasn't him…Well not completely anyways.

He needed to set things right with Chuck and Sarah. They were all he had left. Yeah he was still smarting over the fact that Sarah had chosen and so clearly had fallen in love with Chuck Bartowski, but Bryce would always be committed to the job, so he needed to let that go. Larkin loved them both in his, own odd way, and he needed that lifeline to stay sane.

Stephen wanted to let the General know that they had confirmed the location, but Bryce was going to make sure he was 200% positive of that fact. The best spy in the world can't be making stupid mistakes now could he?

* * *

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

After another round in bed, then another round in the shower which resulted in the longest shower known to man, Chuck and Sarah got dressed and walked out into the courtyard, hand in hand. Chuck stopped Sarah to say something, but before any words came out, Ellie exited her apartment.

"Oh no you don't Charles…We are having this talk right here and now!"

He flinched as he turned to face his sister. Chuck felt Sarah release his hand, and when he turned to look at the blonde, she was running for her life.

Over her shoulder she yelled, "I'll see you at Castle sweetie. I love you!"

He shook his head. When he turned back around to face one of the things he feared most in this world…an angry Ellie…his sister had somehow closed the distance and was now up in his face.

Chuck yelped. "El…w-what's going on?"

"Blown up Chuck, really?!

"Technically I wasn't blown up since I'm alive. I was just caught in the blast." He gave an unconfident smile.

Ellie narrowed her eyes.

Chuck help up his hands as a shield. "Ok, ok, how about we calm down, take a seat, and talk this out like adults?"

He motioned for his sister to sit on the fountain edge as he did so himself. Ellie followed suit.

The brunette doctor decided to go for the throat. "I want you to quit this work."

He did a double take. "What now?"

She sighed. "Chuck, this job is too dangerous. And you, dad, and Devon are all the family that I have left."

Chuck knew that his sister guilting him into quitting was a real possibility. He was surprised she hadn't done it sooner, and that it was so tame.

"I need you here little brother because I'm…because I'm…I'm pregnant!"

_Spoke too soon._ "Seriously El, that's great! I can't believe I'm going to be an uncle!"

She punched him on the arm. "Well not if you keep this up and get yourself killed!"

Chuck ran his right hand down his face. He loved his sister to death, and he was going to love his niece or nephew just as much, but she needed to understand.

"El, I know what I do is dangerous, and that you're scared, but it's just something you have to deal with. I love what I do…well there are a lot of times where I despise it, but I'm actually making a difference. Back at Stanford, yeah, I thought about starting my own software company, and becoming rich so I could retire at an early age. But what good would that do? What I do now actually matters. I can't sit on the sidelines knowing there would have been something I could have done to help people. Is it selfish of me…yeah, but I can't quit…not now anyways."

Eleanor's eyes were filled with unshed tears. Of course her little brother would think it was selfish to risk his life for others. That's just who he was…a great man. Ellie had always known it, even when Chuck didn't at times. She knew she needed him, especially with her baby on the way, but could she really be selfish enough to keep her baby brother from the world?…Yes! She would if she could, but she saw the determination in her brother's eyes. Ellie knew at this point it would be like beating a dead horse, so she gave in. Instead of her anger, her baby brother would have her support, just like family should do.

The siblings engaged in a warm embrace.

"Chuck…Just promise to always be safe. You have all your friends and family to live for. Now that's Sarah back, and a soon to be new addition to the family…Just come back to us, always."

Chuck could see the pleading, and fear in her eyes.

"Nothing can keep me away sis."

* * *

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

The moment Chuck descended the stairs, and entered the conference room, he was engulfed by Tiffany's arms.

Sarah was off to the side with an annoyed look on her face. She was going to greet Chuck, but it looked like Andrews had beaten her to the punch.

"Oh Chuck, I'm so glad you're ok!"

It didn't hurt as bad as he thought, the moment Tiffany constricted on his chest. Good ole pain killers!

"Ahhh…Tiffany relax, my ribs remember?"

She looked up at him and grimaced. "Sorry"

When Andrews released Chuck, and he could sufficiently breathe again, he addressed everybody.

"Guys I'm…Why isn't Morgan here?"

Casey grunted. "The gnome has his day job as ass man at the Buy More" he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Well like I was saying, I'm fine guys, I'm not going anywhere so no need to worry…Besides, if I was gone, what would anyone of you do without me." He gave a hearty laugh…well until he felt some discomfort from his ribs.

Carina mumbled something under her breath.

"What did you Say Carina?" Chuck asked.

"I said, maybe we all would be better off without you!"

Everyone looked at the red head with shock and anger in their eyes. Well everyone except Chuck. He was just shocked and confused. I mean, did Carina just say that?

Chuck shook himself out of his stupor.

"Carina…"

She didn't want to hear it, so she just turned around and stormed off.

Sarah was about to chase after Carina, but Chuck stopped her, deciding that he probably needed to handle the situation.

* * *

A couple minutes after Chuck left to find Carina, the screen activated, and Beckman's face…with her usual sunny disposition…was on full display.

"Team, where are agents Carmichael and Miller?"

No one knew how to respond.

"Why is no one answering me?"

Tiffany stepped up. "General, Carmichael and Miller are somewhat indisposed at the moment." _Not a complete lie._

"Is Miller helping Carmichael with his recovery?"

Tiffany nodded "Yes." _Ok that's a lie._

"Very well, you all can debrief them later…" Beckman shifted gears. "…Orion has contacted me recently. The Intersect seems to be fully operational, and has flashed on several persons of interests for the Ring. They don't have a definite answer, but Orion thinks that's the location for the main Ring headquarters. Larkin has asked for more time to confirm their findings, and I approved his request. We'll move forward in a couple days…Until then, I want all of you to come up with a plan on how we should proceed on the destruction of the Ring. Is that Understood?"

A chorus of 'Yes ma'am' rang out and the screen deactivated.

* * *

Chuck walked into the shooting range and found Carina tearing some paper targets to shreds.

He knew she noticed him, but Carina just ignored him.

She realized he wasn't going anywhere, so when her clip ran dry, she placed her Beretta Px4 Storm down, took her ear protection off, and turned to face him.

"What is it?"

"Um…you've gone crazy…What was all that earlier?"

"You should stay in Castle Chuck, with Tiffany and Morgan. Sarah, Casey, and I, are more than enough to handle whatever's out there on the field."

"That maybe so, but what is this really about?"

"Look Chucky, spin it whichever way you want. The fact remains that you're not needed out in the field."

A little bubble of anger was working its way up, but he quickly popped it. There was something not being said.

"Want to try that again?" He smirked knowing it might get to her.

Carina lost it once she saw his stupid smirk.

"Fine, you want to know the truth?! You're a liability Chuck! You made a stupid decision and it nearly cost you your life…as well as the success of the mission!"

_There it is. _"So this is all because I almost died?"

"YES YOU JACKASS!"

Chuck moved over to her and despite the discomfort and slight pain he felt, he held onto her for dear life. She tried to resist and push him away, but it was mostly half hearted attempts.

"Carina I'm right here…I'm fine." _Didn't I just have this conversation with Ellie?_

"Next time you might not be."

"You know, earlier I had the same talk with Ellie. She wanted me to quit."

"Maybe…"

He pulled away and held her at arm's length. "Don't even."

"But…"

"Oh. My. God" he expelled in an exasperated tone. "I get that everybody's worried, but how do you think it would affect me if something were to happen to you? Maybe you should quit."

She kept silent.

"That's what I thought…Look things can take a turn for the worse, but this is what I was born to do. You know how I feel about being a spy, so I don't have to go through the whole spiel like I did with my sister…Besides, with Tiffany and Morgan having my back at Castle, and you, Casey, and Sarah, watching out for me out in the field, it can't get any safer."

Carina felt ridiculous. There was no way she was going to convince him to quit. She didn't even really want to if that meant she would lose him as a partner. Carina would just make sure everyone kept an extra eye on him. Chuck was too important to her.

She gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Let's get back before Walker turns into the Hulk."

Chuck laughed, but it quickly died when he realized how possessive Sarah could really be.

Chuck was about to turn and leave, but Carina stopped him.

"I see you and blondie finally had sex." She had a humongous grin.

"I…uh we… wait how…" He sputtered.

She laughed. "When Sarah came to Castle this afternoon, she had a smile that screamed that she finally got laid…She was absolutely glowing Chuck…She's not pregnant is she?"

Chuck's eyes got as wide as a Japanese cartoon character.

He took a breath to calm himself. There was no way.

"I'm good Carina, but not that good." He gave her a teasing smile.

She bit her lip. "You know…I'm sure Sarah wouldn't mind if the three of us…"

He felt a little warm, but he laughed it off. "There's my girl."

When Chuck and Carina entered the conference room, all eyes were on them.

Chuck wasn't sure, but he felt like he missed something.

"What happened?"

* * *

**A/N (2): Again, sorry for the lateness. And I know what you're all thinking. 'Don't be sorry, just hurry the hell up!' Actually that's prolly just me since you guys are too nice…or are you?**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Special thanks to my beta uplink2. He really came through in helping me break down that wall I was running into with this chapter.**

**I would also like to give thanks to CaptainCaplax and OliviaC13 for their kind words. They really helped jump start me into putting this chapter out quicker. Believe it or not, it would have taken me longer to post this. I'm just in a damn writing slump at the moment. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 14**

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Chuck wasn't sure, but he felt like he had missed something.

"What happened?"

"While you were off playing with Miller, you missed a conference call from the General." Casey grunted.

Chuck quickly answered in hopes of Sarah not getting upset.

"We didn't do anything, we just talked!" His faced showed slight panic.

Casey had a wicked smirk overtake his face. John knew it was wrong, but screwing with Bartowski was something he really loved doing. Walker probably wouldn't hurt the kid…yeah, she wouldn't…probably.

"That's what you said in Mexico when I caught you in her room. I didn't believe you then, and I don't believe you now. You better hope Walker is as naïve as she looks."

Sarah shot the Colonel an icy glare. She knew the jackass was trying to get a rise out of her, but that was the second time Mexico was referenced when Chuck and Carina were 'together'. She trusted the fact that there was no way Chuck would have betrayed her like that. That belief however did nothing to sooth the green eyed monster within. They weren't together until recently after all, and she had royally fucked up a year ago. I mean Carina had always loved to take things that Sarah wanted. And with the fact that she had left to be the new Team Intersect, Chuck could have been vulnerable enough for Carina to wear down. Sarah knew she had to give him more credit than that, but Carina and Chuck's relationship was horrifyingly close. One aspect that Sarah loved and hated about her boyfriend, was how he had the ability to get anyone to care for him. The Bartowski charm had obviously worked its way into the red head's heart. She knew she should just let it go, but Sarah needed to find out what all this Mexico bullshit was about…for Chuck's sake of course. I mean he wanted their relationship to be built on honesty after all, so confronting that bit-…I mean Carina, would only strengthen their relationship in the long run…Yeah, Sarah was doing all of this for her Chuck!

Carina opened her mouth to respond to Casey. But whether it was to dissuade allegations of a sexual relationship with Chuck, or to throw more gasoline on the fire, we may never know since Sarah cut her off. In all likelihood, it was probably the latter.

"Can we just brief them on the General's orders?" Sarah seethed.

Seeing his girlfriend trying her level best not to kill somebody, Chuck decided it was probably a good idea to move things along.

He put on his Charles Carmichael persona.

"Alright enough; give me an update Colonel."

Casey witnessing the mood shift realized it was time to get down to business.

"The Intersect and Orion have contacted the General. In a few days we should know whether or not the location Shaw is hiding out in, is the central hub for the Ring. Beckman seems to believe that the base in Iceland is the main Ring headquarters. She probably just approved Larkin's request for more time just to cover all bases. We need to start planning an op on how to take out the facility while capturing the Ring Elders."

Chuck took a seat at the conference table.

"Well, everybody get comfortable, this might take awhile. We can't afford mistakes on this mission, team."

Everybody else followed Chuck's lead, and took a seat. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

It had been several hours and they were no closer to a reasonable mission idea than they were when they started this brainstorming session. Well that's not exactly true, Casey suggested just bombing the facility to hell, but that wasn't an option. Sure it would be easier, but beside the fact that Beckman wanted the Ring Elders alive, Chuck was not ok with the mass murder of all those people; even if they were evil. It wasn't likely that there would be innocent civilians at the location, but he wasn't going to take that chance either.

Carina let out a big huff and dropped her head onto the table.

"Let's just go with Casey's plan."

Chuck shook his head in frustration, "Seriously?"

Tiffany decided to intervene. "I think we all need to take a small break. We're all hungry and tired. Chuck will figure something out soon enough."

"Why me?"

Tiffany gave him a soft smile. "Besides the fact that you're probably the smartest one here, we trust you Chuck. I know it's a lot of pressure to put on you, but we believe in you."

It was a lot of pressure, but knowing the fact that your team looked to you at such a critical time, made Chuck feel validated within the group of highly trained spies.

He gave Tiffany his patented Bartowski smile.

Sarah lightly growled at the sight before her. She knew she was overreacting, but she was just too tired and too hungry to care.

Chuck turned to his girlfriend. "Honey did you just…"

"I'm hungry." She quickly lied, although…

Before anyone could say anything, Morgan walked through the entrance of Castle, carrying several boxes of pizzas.

"Thought Team Bartowski could use some grub!" Morgan yelled as he descended the steps.

Once he placed the boxes on the table, Morgan had to quickly dive out of the way or else he would have been trampled by the hungry agents.

Of course the bearded one didn't realize that he should have gotten at least one with no olives, but that was quickly remedied by Chuck picking those pesky things off before handing Sarah several slices.

The ravenous blonde wanted to pay him back in kind by jumping his bones, just because of that simple act. But then again, everything Chuck did, made Sarah want to do some seriously heavy petting with her lover.

Sarah just settled on sitting on top of his lap, while she fed them both pizza…much to everyone's disgust. She didn't care, because as far as she was concerned, they could all go fuck themselves. Sarah was planning on doing some serious fucking of her own with her nerd soon enough.

Casey saw Morgan stuffing his face with pizza, and he grunted

"Why don't we just send the gnome to Iceland? I'm sure he could annoy the Ring into surrendering."

The insult completely flew over Morgan's head since all the bearded one heard, was John Casey voicing the fact that he should be out on the field for a mission.

"That would be awesome!" Morgan fist pumped.

Everybody chuckled except for Casey, who was upset his dig didn't seem to have an effect, and Chuck, who seemed to be lost in thought.

The Colonel decided to squash Morgan's excitement before he got too carried away with it.

"It was a joke moron. Sending you out there would be like a death sentence. You'd probably attract more danger than Walker's boy toy."

The idea finally hit Chuck, and he quickly stood up. Thankfully, the blonde on his lap reacted quickly enough to not fall flat on her ass.

Chuck gave Sarah a quick apologetic smile before he addressed his team. He didn't want to lose his train of thought.

"Casey's right, that's exactly what we should do!"

Everybody had confused looks on their faces.

The Colonel didn't like to be mocked. "Bartowski, what the hell are you moaning about?!"

"The magnet!"

* * *

**May 2010**

**Washington D.C.**

**Brigadier General Diane Beckman's House of Residence**

It was 4 in the morning, and Diane got to do something she rarely had time for ever since one Charles Irving Bartowski had invaded her life…sleep! Unfortunately, the incessant beeping of her bedside monitor, indicating a conference call, brought her out of some much deserved repose.

Beckman reached out, hitting the button to accept the connection, and snorted at the adorable kisser that assaulted her slightly blurry vision. She wasn't surprised at who was on the other end of the call, but did he have to look so damn cheery?

_Of course it's Bartowski! _

Chuck was probably the only one who could get away with disturbing the General at such a horrendous hour.

With a heavy sigh, Diane spoke to one of her favorite agents.

"What is it Bartowski? This had better be good!"

The threat was clearly evident in her tone, but over time, Chuck had come to realize that her bark was worse than her bite…Ok, that was only true when it concerned him.

"Sorry to disturb you General, but I figured you would like to know that we've come up with a plan on how to take the Ring facility in Reykjavík, Iceland."

Diane narrowed her eyes to cover up the pride she felt for her agent. She had a reputation to maintain after all.

"And this couldn't have waited; why? The Intersect hasn't even given us a proper confirmation on the base yet."

A grin broke out on Charles' face. His smile was as bright through the monitor as it was in person.

"Now General, you and I both know that waiting for that confirmation is just a formality. I've already talked to my father and he assures me that the facility is the main hub for the Ring. So, with all that out of the way, would you like to hear our plan?"

Beckman felt uneasy. She trusted her team, especially Chuck, but Diane had a gut feeling that this so called 'plan' was going to result in a spike in her blood pressure.

"I'm not going to like this plan of yours am I?" Beckman heard a grunt in the background which only confirmed her anxious feelings.

Chuck gave a not so confident chuckle. "Well, it's not ideal but…If anyone can do this, Team Bartowski can!"

Beckman smiled at the enthusiasm put forth by her agent. How he still had that type of innocent air about him, she had no idea.

"Well, don't keep me waiting."

"It's a classic General. I'm sure you've heard of it before. It's called…The Magnet."

* * *

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

When Chuck finished reassuring the General of his plan, Tiffany disconnected the feed. She couldn't believe Beckman went for it. Sure, at first, the General looked like she was going to have a coronary, but no one could resist the charms of Charles Bartowski for too long.

Chuck turned to his team and blew out an exhausted breath.

Tiffany laughed. "I knew you could do it Chuck!"

He turned a slight shade of pink at the confidence his teacher and friend bestowed onto him.

Carina saw the slight blush and decided that she wanted to take part in her favorite activity…The 'How Red Can I Make Chuck Bartowski' game.

With an extra sway in her hips, she sauntered over to Chuck, making sure she threw a quick wink towards Sarah.

Chuck saw his favorite red head moving sensually towards his direction, and his face had that classic 'deer caught in headlights' look. Yes, he found Carina to be extremely attractive, but the feeling that overtook most of his body was fear. Why in the hell did Carina look like she wanted to devour him, and why was she doing all of this in front of his insanely deadly…perhaps slightly jealous…girlfriend?

Sarah saw Carina wink at her, but she hadn't taken the gesture too kindly. Instead of the playfulness Carina had meant by it, Sarah mistook the meaning and had thought her friend was simply stating, 'watch while I take Chuck Bartowski from under your nose'.

To make matters worse, her subconscious was now singing the words to James Taylor's song, 'Mexico'.

"Oh, oh, Mexico. Mexico, oh, Mexico. Oh, oh, Mexico. Mexico, oh, Mexico."

What was strange however; was the fact that Sarah Walker's subconscious sounded oddly enough like Morgan Grimes. She turned towards the direction of Chuck's long time partner in crime, and her face paled at the sight.

Morgan was actually singing the song, and the whole Mexico situation had bothered her so much, she had actually thought that his singing was her subliminal self at work. Sarah quickly came to the conclusion that she needed to have a little chat with Carina…make that all the female members of Team Bartowski…before this upcoming mission.

She turned towards Chuck and got his attention.

"Chuck, I know you wanted to go out to dinner tonight, but can we postpone it till tomorrow?"

He took a step towards Sarah, and more importantly a step away from Carina's roaming hands.

"Uh sure sweetie…but um…how come?"

"Oh you know. I just thought it would be nice to have a girl's night out with Carina, Tiffany, and even Ellie; before the mission. Just so that I can…I mean we can build on team dynamics." Sarah gave an innocent smile, and threw in a slight pout for good measure.

Carina broke out into a wide grin. She was looking forward to a girl's night out. Of course, she knew however that blondie had some type of ulterior motives. Still, it should be an entertaining night nevertheless.

Tiffany wondered what in the hell was happening. She hadn't heard of any girl's night out plans. And why would Walker want to hang out with her, in a social setting?

Casey could care less. But if he knew Walker, she definitely had something up her sleeves.

Chuck quirked a brow. He didn't necessarily believe that answer, because if she truly wanted to work on the cohesiveness of the team, it wouldn't just be the female members to be in attendance. Regardless, whenever he saw Sarah trying to act all innocent, with that adorable slight pout on her lips, he couldn't refuse her anything.

"That's a great idea honey." He gave her a reassuring smile.

Morgan busted out with excitement. "ALRIGHT, GUY'S NIGHT OUT!"

* * *

**Los Angeles **

**Boulevard3**

Sarah was having a reasonably good time. She hadn't had the talk she was planning on having with everyone yet, but she expected as much whenever Carina, dancing, and alcohol were involved. What surprised her however was who she spent most of the night with. Sarah had thought she was going to be dancing with Carina, or even pouring her heart out to Ellie…as inconceivable as that may have been…but here she was, sitting at a table, having a drink with Tiffany Andrews.

Apparently, the good doctor wanted to blow off some steam. And who better to teach Ellie exactly how to do that, than Carina Miller? The pair spent most of their time on the dance floor, which left Tiffany and Sarah to spend some awkward quality time with one another.

Once they got over the initial uncomfortableness…the alcohol might have helped matters…they got to talking about their favorite subject…Chuck. There was no jealousy, hate, or spitefulness while they spoke. They were just two women talking about somebody who was close to both their hearts.

Sarah was laughing at the story currently being told of Chuck's training in Prague.

After taking a sip of her Appletini, Tiffany resumed her story.

"I had just got done kicking Chuck's ass, and there he was, lying on the practice mat giving me the most adorable hurt expression I've ever seen…I pretty much let my guard down with him looking so cute and all, so I go to help him…Horrible idea on my part since the next thing I know, I'm flat on my back with him pinning me to the floor."

Andrews slightly shivered at the memory, which Sarah caught.

The blonde looked at the brunette with a slightly annoyed look.

Tiffany sheepishly chuckled. "Sorry…" Her face then turned somber. "…You two belong together. Any stranger off the street can look at you two and see you're both head over heels for each other…It's just…It's hard you know?"

Sarah felt for Andrews, she really did. It wasn't Tiffany's fault that she had fallen for her nerd; it was Chuck's…that ass! But no matter how bad she felt for the agent, Sarah needed to set some things straight, along with a couple of boundaries. That was the whole point of this night.

"I know how lucky I am that I have him, trust me. You'll find your own Chuck Tiffany; he's out there."

Tiffany looked at Walker in disbelief. "You honestly believe there's another Chuck Bartowski out there?"

Sarah opened her mouth to respond, but then shut it when she didn't know how to respond.

Tiffany shook her head in amusement. "That's what I thought. He's one of a kind…so don't screw it up Walker."

At that moment, Carina plopped down next to Sarah on the couch, while Ellie sat next to Tiffany on the couch across from the other two.

Ellie pointed at Sarah. "Yeah Walker, don't screw it up…what are you not supposed to screw up?"

Sarah figured now was the time for the talk, before everyone got too drunk to understand a single thing she said.

"I need to talk to you guys about something for a second. I promise I'll try to make it as quick and as painless as I can."

Carina grabbed Sarah and kissed her on the cheek.

"I knew you were up to something blondie! It's about Chuck isn't it?!"

Sarah nodded. "But before I start…" She turned to the red head next to her. "What the hell happened in Mexico?!"

* * *

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

The air was filled with the scent of grape soda, beer, pizza, and Cuban cigars. While the women were out getting makeovers, or dancing…or whatever they were doing…the men were at Casa Bartowski/Grimes, playing poker.

For guy's night; Casey wanted to go to the shooting range, Devon suggested indoor rock climbing, and Morgan wanted to do some serious gaming. No one could come up with an idea that everybody liked until Chuck suggested poker.

Chuck choked on the smoke filled air that wafted into his airspace. He looked at the two responsible for the current annihilation of his lungs. The Colonel he understood, but Morgan? The bearded one was always trying to get on John's good side, but this was a little much.

'Cough' 'Cough' "Guys, if you insist on smoking those…things…can you at least not blow the smoke my way."

Casey grunted and then blew an extra amount of smoke towards the nerd.

"Don't be such a pansy Bartowski."

"Yeah buddy, man up!" Morgan added.

Chuck narrowed his eyes at the short one and Morgan mouthed the word 'Sorry' to his best bud.

Devon, wanting to move the conversation along, changed the subject.

"So, what do you guys think the ladies are doing…hope Ellie isn't getting too wild."

Casey took the Cuban out of his mouth and placed it on a tray so he would be able to talk more clearly as he dealt the next hand.

"She'll be fine, it's Miller and Andrews I'm worried about. I'm sure Walker is going all psycho jealous on them right now."

Chuck took a peek at his two cards.

"Raise to 10…Casey, you don't actually think Sarah would do anything crazy right? I mean…she wouldn't…but then again…Crap I gotta make a quick call!"

"I call…" Casey smirked and threw in his chips. "…Might be too late Bartowski. I'm sure your better half has already snapped."

Devon threw his chips in. "Call…Bro I'm sure things are just fine. Ellie wouldn't let it get too out of hand."

Morgan mucked his hand. "Well Awesome, you clearly haven't seen Sarah when it comes to her relationship with Chuck."

John dealt the flop. "I actually agree with the bearded idiot. Walker can get…scary…when it comes to Bartowski."

Chuck was sure that Sarah would never kill Carina or Tiffany. But there was no harm in calling to see how they were doing.

He pulled out his cell and dialed her number.

* * *

**Boulevard3**

Sarah felt the vibrations of her phone, and figured it probably was Chuck wanting to check in. She ignored it since she needed to hear about Mexico.

Carina laughed. "Oh you know Walker, the usual." She winked at the blonde.

Ellie, recognizing a chance to have a little fun, spoke up.

"The usual? Carina, you told me you and my brother had sex."

"WHAT?!" Sarah exploded and reached for one of her throwing knives strapped to her thigh.

As buzzed as Carina was, she saw the movement, and calculated what she needed to do to defend herself.

Sarah, who wasn't thinking straight, lashed out with her right hand, the hand that was currently clutching one of her throwing knives.

Carina caught it in time, but was still surprised by Walker's quickness. As evident by the blade being only a millimeter from her neck.

The two other women's eyes widen in astonishment. Ellie probably had a little fear mixed in as well.

The doctor tumbled over her words trying to speak as fast as she was able, to try to calm the situation.

"Sa- Sarah! I am…I was only kidding! Wha- what are doing?!"

Sarah blanched a little at what she had done, and what she was about to do. She quickly re-holstered her knife and let out a nervous laugh as she apologized.

Carina was pissed. She would have usually let something like that roll of her back since Sarah and herself were always going at it. It was just their thing. But the attack wasn't what got Miller upset.

"What the hell Walker!? And so what if I screwed Chuck? It's not like you two were together at the time. If memory serves, you left to be with that asshole Larkin!"

"That's not true and you know it!"

Andrews positioned herself to get in between her teammates if need be.

"Guys, relax. You know Chuck wouldn't want this."

Both Carina and Sarah glared at Tiffany and yelled, "Stay out of it!" before they turned to face each other again.

Ellie couldn't believe the sight before her. Two women were about to kill each other over her little brother. And the third one who was seated next to her…and who definitely had feelings for Chuck too…was actually trying to placate the situation.

The beautiful brunette doctor couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing hysterically.

The three agents just stared at Ellie, who was now holding her stomach from laughing so hard.

After a couple of minutes, the laughter died down enough for Ellie to speak.

"Oh my god…So-sorry…It's just…I knew my brother was always special…But to make three sp…working women…fall for him so much they're willing to fight over him…Wow!"

Sarah and Carina both reddened in embarrassment.

Tiffany smiled. "He's one special guy."

After Sarah nodded in agreement, she turned to Carina.

"I'm sorry I got so crazy…It's just…I've experienced what it was like without him, and I don't think I can go through that again. Without him, I just wouldn't be able to live anymore…I'm not saying you guys have to stay away from him, just tone it down a little. I'm actually glad he has you guys…but…I'm not ok with the constant touching and flirting…He needs all of us in his life, but their needs to be some boundaries."

Carina could relate to Sarah. If she had lost Chuck, she would have been devastated too. Carina was fairly sure she would be able to keep living however, so what Sarah said really stuck with her.

"Alright…" She transformed back to the old Carina. "…I can still touch him though right? Just not too much?"

The four women laughed.

"I'll make a list of what you can and cannot do…" Sarah chuckled. "…You guys should know what's appropriate and what isn't…well Tiffany you should. Carina, just tone everything down…Oh and Chuck doesn't know it yet, but I'm moving in, so I don't ever want to see you two in our room so early in the morning…Yes, he's told me all about those early morning visits."

Andrews shrugged. "We were just training."

_That better be all it was! _Sarah thought. "Well now that we got that out of the way. Carina, what happened in Mexico?"

* * *

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

"She's not answering…maybe I should call…nah I'm sure they're fine."

"You keep telling yourself that Bartowski." Casey replied.

Chuck ignored the Colonel's response.

"Guys, I have something I need to say…I'm thinking of asking Sarah to move in!"

"Awesome bro! Congratulations!"

Casey grunted in disgust.

Morgan was not thrilled with the idea.

"But Chuck, this is our bachelor pad."

"Moron, he's not a bachelor anymore."

Morgan was truly happy for his best friend. Chuck got everything he deserved, from the love of his life, to the coolest job ever as a real life superhero. And things only looked brighter for him.

But a part of Morgan felt like he was being left behind. With Sarah back in the fold, all Chuck's attention would be split between his girlfriend and Team Bartowski. True, the bearded one was a part of that team, but it wasn't the same. There would be no more just Chuck and Morgan.

Chuck saw the look on his best bud's face and felt guilty.

"Buddy, we'll always be a team…but Sarah and I…"

Morgan mustered up a smile. "I get it"

"I promise Morgan, we'll always make time for each other…" He thought for a second on how to make it up to his long time friend. "…at least one game night a week, alright?"

"Deal!"

* * *

**Boulevard3**

Carina sighed. "I tried my hardest to sleep with Chucky. I tricked him into coming to my room before Casey so we could get some alone time. I was planning on seducing some information out of him…"

Both Sarah's and Tiffany's fists clenched, but they held in their bubbling anger.

"…I practically threw myself at him. And I would have succeeded too, if he still wasn't so in love with you Walker."

Sarah couldn't help but smile at that last part.

Carina continued. "We didn't get any farther than kissing. He freaking threw me off, just to get me to stop."

That comment resulted in a few laughs. Some even came from the red head.

Ellie knew about Chuck's spy life, but she hadn't been told any specific details about any missions. She understood why, but everyone's been talking about Mexico so much, that it was now driving her crazy.

"Now that we've established that Chuck's been faithful…even though he didn't need to be…What else happened in Mexico…I don't need to know anything too specific, but since I know mostly everything, can someone please throw me a bone?"

Carina looked upon the elder Bartowski, and decided to tell her how much of a hero her brother truly was.

"Chuck changed my life that day. Hell, I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him…You see it all started when…"

Ellie listened to the story with amazement in her eyes. Not even a bomb going off could distract her from this story.

* * *

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

It was decided to cut guy's night early since both Morgan and Captain Awesome had early shifts the next day. After everything was cleaned up, Devon headed home while Morgan went straight to bed. He was asleep minutes after his head hit the pillow.

Chuck decided to walk the Colonel out since he needed some fresh air after inhaling all that second hand smoke.

"Thanks for coming Casey, it was fun."

"Don't mention it Bartowski…ever."

John took a couple of steps towards his apartment, but he suddenly stopped. The mission to take down the Ring was fast approaching. If only Larkin would just hurry his dumb ass up and confirm the actual sight, then Team Bartowski would be wheels up. The kid needed to hear what Casey wanted to say before it was too late.

After everything that had happened in the past several years; from Chuck getting the Intersect, the almost bunkerization, the sanction that almost was, the destruction of Fulcrum, to Sarah leaving and her eventual return. Chuck had been through it all, and not only survived, but thrived. Casey was proud to call Bartowski a friend…family even.

The Colonel turned to said friend.

"Look kid, I just wanted to say how proud of you I am. You started off as an idiot civilian, but you took what life threw at you, and did what you could…Not many people could have been through what you've been through, and actually come out on the other side still intact...You've became one of the best agents and partner I've ever known, and I'm honored to call you a friend."

Casey took out a Cuban, lit it, and took a puff.

"Even though she may have her flaws, Walker is a good woman. You two deserve each other…Be patient with her Chuck. Spies like her and I…we've seen and done things that have changed us. It's unbelievable that you're still you, but then again, you've always been a freak Bartowski…"

Chuck chuckled as he tried to hold back the threatening tears. He dared not cry or speak in fear that it might turn John off and ruin the moment.

"…If all you have is each other, then you'll be alright kid…But you'll always have someone in your corner, me included. Now don't fuck it up."

Casey turned and started walking towards his door.

Chuck smiled as he wiped away the tears that were now freely falling since Casey had his back to him.

John stopped once his hand wrapped around the doorknob to his door. He used his other hand to grab the Cuban out of his mouth.

"Oh and Chuck…the standard threat still applies."

"If I mention this to anyone, you'll kill me?"

Casey grunted his affirmation.

"I love ya big guy."

"Keep it in your pants moron."

* * *

**Boulevard3**

"…So I'm now trapped with only a short time till the building self-destructs. I was pretty certain I was a goner since there wasn't enough time to do anything really. I'm yelling at Chuck to leave, but you know how he is. He is one stubborn son-of-a-bitch, I swear…and I'm so thankful for that…Anyways, since he wouldn't leave, Johnny grabs Chuck and starts dragging him to the elevator…"

Carina saw the flashes of shock that quickly washed over the two agents faces. Ellie, being a civilian, couldn't mask the expressions she felt, so she was much easier to read. Carina knew she had to say something.

"…Casey did the right thing. There wasn't enough time to disarm the system, so there wasn't a point in all three of us dying. Casey made a hard choice, and it was the right one, so you all should accept it and get over it."

Sarah, Tiffany, and Ellie nodded.

Miller continued.

"Like I was saying…Johnny drags Chuck into the elevator. Once the door starts to close, Chucky punches Casey and jumps out of the elevator in time. Naturally the elevator starts ascending, with Casey still in it…"

The three women listening to the story were all shocked that their Chuck would have actually punched Casey!

"…So he starts running towards me, and I'm just basically cussing him out for his stupidity. I mean, I pretty much accepted that I was going to die, so I didn't need to feel guilty for being responsible for the death of Walker's boyfriend."

Ellie gasped "What happened next?!"

"Well…he then starts working on his little wrist computer, and I just remember feeling confused, and honestly a little happy, that someone would sacrifice themselves for me…I just couldn't understand it. I was still mad at him for sticking around, but at that moment, I didn't feel alone for once…" She took a deep breath. "…Chuck then hits one last button, and the countdown stops with 3 seconds left. I swear I just wanted to jump him right then and there."

Ellie's astonished. "I can't believe my baby brother stopped the building from exploding!"

Carina laughed. "Oh Ellie, he actually didn't."

Seeing the confusion on the good doctor's face, she continued the story.

"You see, your brother only reset the countdown. We both thought he stopped the self-destruction sequence, but he messed up or something. I was so pissed, but at that point, Chuck's pretty much won me over. It still worked out…obviously…because with the countdown resetting, it gave him enough time to hack into the system. He got the door that was blocking my only way out to retract. And wouldn't you know it, the elevator comes back down and the doors open to reveal none other than John Casey. We all got out of there in time to watch the building explode in the rear view mirror of our vehicle."

Ellie finished off the rest of her martini.

"I shouldn't be surprised. I've always known Chuck was meant for great things. But wow!"

Sarah smiled. "Even before, when Chuck was still an asset, he was able to save countless of lives without any training. He always did the right thing, even if it would've hurt him in the process."

Andrews placed her hand on Ellie's shoulder.

"You should be proud. You've raised an amazing man. The world needs more people like him…He's truly one of a kind."

Carina smirked. "He's pretty damn sexy too!"

Sarah rolled her eyes. _Damn Chuck for being so…so Chuck!  
_

* * *

**May 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Chuck was sitting at his desk in his room fiddling with Cortana, which was connected to his computer at the moment. It was 2am and Sarah still wasn't home yet. Of course if anyone asked him, he wasn't waiting up for Sarah, he was just making some upgrades to his wrist comp…Technically he was so…

Chuck suddenly felt two soft hands cover his eyes, and he flinched as he yelped in slight fear. He was a spy now, but spies still get scared. Yelping in fear, probably not; but fear…yes.

He turned and saw Sarah, trying to hide her laugh behind one of her hands.

"Sorry Chuck, I didn't mean to scare you." The amusement was clearly evident in her crystal blue eyes.

_I swear she's a friggin ninja!_ "I didn't get scared. I uh…I was…psyching myself up…in case I needed to defend myself?"

Sarah couldn't help it. She needed to kiss her adorable boyfriend, which she promptly did.

It was quickly escalating, so Chuck picked her up and placed her on the bed; all the while keeping their lips firmly attached.

When they withdrew from one another, Sarah couldn't take her gaze off of his warm, inviting, brown eyes. She reveled in the feeling of his body on top of hers.

"You didn't have to wait up for me you know."

"Well I didn't, I was working on Cortana…"

She gave him a pointed look.

"…And possibly as a side benefit of me working so late…I was waiting up for you too." He gave her a wide smile and quickly stole a kiss.

Sarah pouted. _I want more dammit!_ She tried taking matters into her own hands as she placed one of her hands behind his head and brought him down, but she felt him resist.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing it's just…" _Just ask her already! Just do it…Sarah, will you move in with me…No, do it out loud you idiot! _"…uh, Sarah…" He took a deep breath. "…will you move in with me?"

Sarah stopped the smile that was beginning to form on her face. She thought it was adorable he was asking since it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter. But it was still incredibly sweet. Still, she couldn't come off as too eager.

"Hmmm, I don't know Chuck." She had trouble keeping a straight face.

He deflated. "I'm sorry, I just thought…It's ok, I shouldn't have rushed things." _Casey said to be patient! And what do I do, I screw things up by moving too fast!_

Sarah's heart broke at the despondent look on his face.

She quickly spoke in between kisses. "Oh my god…I'm so sorry…I was just kidding baby…of course I want to…live with you….Nothing would make me…happier…I love you so much Chuck."

The Bartowski grin broke out. "I love you too Sarah."

His lips descended onto hers and things quickly heated up again.

When he placed his hand under her blouse onto her taut stomach, she felt like her skin was on fire. She needed him in the worst way.

Chuck felt the moan that was released from her mouth, reverberate throughout his entire being. He separated his lips from hers, and he slowly kissed along her jaw. He then took her ear into his mouth and lightly nibbled on it, causing Sarah to giggle. With one last flick of his tongue, he attacked her neck, and quickly found the spot that he knew would drive her crazy.

Sarah started to writhe underneath him as he sucked on her neck. She usually liked when her Chuck made it a point to taste every inch of her, but this time, she just needed him inside of her as quickly as possible.

"Please Chuck, I need you right now…Make love to me, please."

Chuck stopped and smiled against her neck. He retracted himself until he was hovering above her. It aroused him a great deal whenever Sarah begged him in that ragged voice of hers.

He teased her with the same words she had recently given him.

"Hmmm, I don't know Sarah." He couldn't help the mirth that was mixing with the brown in his eyes.

Sarah narrowed her eyes as she realized what he was doing.

"Chuck, if you don't hurry up and make love to me…I'm going to make you…and I'm not going to be gentle while I take what I want!"

He pushed his hand under her jeans and panties, which resulted in a gasp of anticipation coming from Sarah. Before he went any deeper, he quickly pulled his hand back out. He smiled at the mixed expressions of annoyance, hunger, and desperation that overtook her face.

"Why Mrs. Bartowski…you make it sound so sexy, I might let you take what you want."

Sarah noticed the slip of the name, and by the look on Chuck's face, he clearly hadn't. It didn't matter though since he clearly entertained the idea of being married to her…whether it was subconsciously or not. She liked the idea of being Mrs. Bartowski. _Scratch that, I LOVE IT!_ There was no need to bring it up however. Sarah didn't want to put pressure on him in any way…no matter how bad she wanted it. She would wait till her Chuck deemed her worthy enough to be his wife.

With a quick flip, Sarah initiated a sweep, resulting in her being on top, straddling his waist.

"Be careful what you wish for. And by the way, let me? If I wanted something, you wouldn't be able to stop me even if you wanted to."

"Do your worst!"

Sarah just smiled and ripped her blouse and bra over her head, all in one quick movement.

Chuck's breath caught in his throat.

"I'm in trouble!"

"Why yes Mr. Bartowski, yes you are!"

* * *

**A/N (2): This was only supposed to be a filler chapter, but here we are…+6k words! Don't know if that's a bad thing or not.**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Let's be honest, I can no longer promise an update weekly. I think every other week is a more realistic goal. Besides the ever present writing wall; Black ops 2, Crysis 2, and GOW 3; have been slowing me down. Damn videogames! **

**Special thanks to my beta uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 15**

**June 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

Team Bartowski was situated around the conference table with their full attention on the video conference being held by General Beckman. Diane was surprised to find that that Grimes fellow seemed to hang off every word she spilled. Maybe he wasn't a total disaster after all.

"Team, I've gotten confirmation from the Intersect for the base in Iceland…"

Casey snorted "About time."

Diane felt the same way, but she was slightly annoyed at the Colonel's interruption. Because of the special relationship she had with Chuck, everybody probably thought they could get away with the same things now. _Stupid Bartowski!_

"What was that Colonel?" Her tone revealed that there was only one acceptable answer.

Casey tensed "Um, nothing ma'am."

The General resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"As I was saying…Now that we are 100% sure this base is the main hub for the Ring, the mission is a go…Have you found an alternative route in taking the building while capturing the Elders?"

Diane knew there was a slim chance that the team scrapped their first plan and came up with a new one, but she still hoped. She actually liked Chuck's idea, and it made sense, but if something were to go wrong, the consequences would be dire.

Chuck addressed the General.

"Ma'am, I know our plan may be…risky…but I have faith in my team."

Beckman nodded "Very well."

Diane pressed a button out of view of the camera and the screen split in half, with the image of Bryce and Stephen Bartowski now filling one side.

"Agent Carmichael, if you will please brief Agent Larkin and Orion on the mission parameters so they will have ample time to prepare while they await your arrival."

Bryce was proud of Chuck, and even with everything they've been through, he still cared for him. So when he smiled, it was genuine.

"So what's this plan all about buddy?"

Chuck returned the smile. He knew Bryce might not like what he was about to say, but if he needed convincing, all he needed to do was to appeal to his egotistical side. There was no way Larkin could turn down the chance at recognition and glory.

"We'll Bryce, we basically run The Magnet. The Ring has another base down in Reykjavík, Iceland. They probably think this faction would mask any suspicions surrounding their main hub…All we need to do is to get The Elders to send most of their personnel over to this other building. This would provide enough of a vulnerability for our team to break in and position ourselves in the perfect spot to apprehend the Elders once you flash and confirm their identities."

Bryce mulled it over in his head. He was highly impressed. This could work.

"Sounds good…but there would have to be something pretty significant happening at this other location for The Ring to send most of their forces, leaving them slightly defenseless for however long."

"You mean something as big as The Intersect?" Chuck was sporting a huge smirk.

There must have been something wrong with the connection because surely Bryce hadn't heard that right.

"Come again Chuck?"

"Look, The Ring thinks the Intersect is dead. When they find out that you're alive, and attacking that site, they will practically send a small army to capture you alive. And once they bring you back to the main base, there's no doubt in my mind that The Elders will want a meeting with you…All you have to do is flash, confirm, and send a signal to me once you're positive it's them. Once I get the signal, I'll call in reinforcements, and track you down using Cortana. Team Bartowski will then proceed to arrest The Elders…Simple huh?"

"You're actually going to risk the Intersect…me…in order to pull off something as mundane as The Magnet?"

Chuck sighed. "Look Bryce, we need you on this. The Ring wants the Intersect alive, and besides, you can handle yourself. It's better if you get captured instead of breaking in with us. If they take you, that would assure you an audience with The Elders. Come with us, and we'll waste too much time running around, with you flashing on everybody. They could escape by then."

Larkin knew Chuck was right. He was the Intersect, and he was the most valuable intelligence asset in the world. It was time to do what he did best…Save the world!

"Alright, on one condition…I'll be the bait if Agent Walker becomes my partner again."

Sarah exploded "What?!" She wondered how hard she would have to throw one of her knives in order for it to go through the monitor and into Larkin's face on the other side.

Bryce could actually see Chuck's jaw grinding through the damn monitor!

"It was a joke guys…unless…" He threw a quick wink towards his gorgeous former partner.

Casey inhaled a sharp breath, ready to let out the mother of all growls. But when he heard the menacing noise he noticed two things; 1) it sounded far less manly then he planned, and 2) it didn't come from him. What the hell? He looked around the room and his eyes fell on Bartowski…of course! The Colonel was definitely proud of the nerd, but he definitely needed to pull him aside sometime to help him out on his growling…possibly grunts too.

Bryce chuckled nervously. "Well I guess I'm not as funny as I thought…Well General, are you planning on sending more reinforcements in order to storm the small faction here?"

Diane couldn't believe the shit she was actually witnessing. How the hell did she get herself in this bull-…Oh right, Bartowski.

"You will use the forces you have at your disposal already. Too limit as many casualties as possible, once you break in and have taken control of the base, have the rest of the tactical team retreat. Since you are of no use to anybody…dead…there shouldn't be a problem. Make sure to make a lot of commotion while storming the base. If it seems like you have an army with you, it will only increase the number of reinforcements that will be drawn from the main Ring headquarters."

Chuck couldn't wait to get to Iceland so that he could shoot Bryce, repeatedly…With his Cortana darts of course.

"Bryce, I still need to give you the transmitter so that you can alert us when you flash on The Elders; as well as tag you so that I'll be able to trace you through Cortana…Just wait for us, and don't do anything stupid."

Larkin narrowed his eyes at the implication that he would do something dumb. Sure, he liked to go off script at times, but that's what made him the greatest spy out there.

"Just hurry up, I'm getting bored." He cut the feed just as abruptly as Beckman usually did.

"Well team, everything seems to be in order. Just so you know, after the tactical team leaves Agent Larkin, I ordered them to meet up with the other team I'm sending to act as your support. Notify me after you make contact with the Intersect." Diane cut the feed and the screen shut down.

Tiffany shook her head. "What an ass. How were you actually friends with him?"

Chuck opened his arms, and Sarah immediately snuggled into him.

"People change, well except for Casey."

The statement drew slight chuckles from everybody.

When John's eyes trained on Morgan however, the bearded one quickly stopped, yelped, and hid behind Carina.

Now, that got everyone laughing.

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Miles away from Ring Headquarters**

"Who does your son think he is? I've been an agent longer that he has, I know how to follow simple orders. The plan isn't even that complex or anything."

He wouldn't admit it, but he was hurting by yet another rejection.

Orion peered at Larkin in a somewhat empathetic gaze.

"Bryce, you need to let go, and let my son and Sarah be happy."

Bryce sighed. "I know…Chuck deserves happiness. He's the greatest man I know, and Sarah needs someone like him…It's just…" _hard to let go of something so great. _"…Let's just get started on the mission prep, Chuck might go crazy if we're not prepared." Larkin let out a half-hearted chuckle.

Stephen felt for him. Seeing the only two people you care about basically start a life together and leave you behind can really kill a person. The fact that Bryce once had a relationship with Sarah only made it worse. Orion knew what it was like to lose loved ones. But just like he had done, sometimes you just needed to walk away.

* * *

**June 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Chuck's family sat around the dining table enjoying their last dinner in Burbank before their mission to finally exterminate The Ring. Everyone was in attendance; from his sister and brother-in-law, to all of Team Bartowski, including recent addition, Morgan Guillermo Grimes…a.k.a. Cobra. Of course Orion and Bryce weren't there, but everyone understood why.

Chuck loved having these intimate moments with everyone he held dearest to his heart; especially before a critical mission, just like tonight. Of course not everyone could make it all the time; it was especially hard for the Woodcombs, but they tried their hardest. Thankfully, the good doctors both got the night off. Yeah, he wished his father was here too, but he knew when it came to him, he wasn't always going to be around when you wanted...And for some odd reason, he was always around when you didn't. Hell, he even wished Bryce was there…a little…kind of…maybe. Sure, their relationship was strained and would never be what it once was, but no matter how angry he was at the prick, he knew he owed him a lot. Without Bryce, there might have been a chance that he would have never met Sarah. Chuck was not willing to risk that in the slightest. The important thing was that everyone was there in heart and mind, even if they weren't physically.

After taking a sip of her drink, Ellie placed it down on the table and rubbed her still taut stomach with her right hand. With her left, she grasped Devon's hand.

"Guys, please be careful and come home safely. We want our baby to have a huge family. And we can't think of anybody who would love and protect our child more than Aunt Carina, Aunt Tiffany, and Uncle Casey…"

Tiffany and Carina beamed while Casey gave his usual grunt, although it was a lot softer than normal. Morgan figured he wouldn't have been named an uncle, but he would love this baby none-the-less. The next words that came out of his onetime loves' mouth however, resulted in a face splitting smile that shown through his scruffy beard.

Ellie gave the short one a pointed look. "…Least we not forget 'Crazy' Uncle Morgan, who **WILL**, be on his best behavior around the baby."

He nodded so hard that the crumbs stuck on his beard flew everywhere.

The elder Bartowski shook her head in amusement, and then quickly shifted her gaze onto her baby brother and his girlfriend, hopefully soon to be fiancé/wife.

"Our baby will definitely need Godparents."

Chuck gave his sister a loving smile. And as surprised as Sarah was, she was deeply touched.

Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Carina.

"Do you guys know the sex of the baby yet?"

Devon shook his head 'no'. "I think we might wait to find out. Make it a surprise, right babe?"

Ellie nodded and kissed her awesome husband, and soon to be father of their child.

There was a gleam in Carina's eyes.

"I hope it's a girl. I can't wait to teach her all about boys."

Casey grunted.

Miller threw a smirk at the Colonel. "What was that Johnny?"

He cleared his throat "Uh…nothing."

Chuck started laughing, but when he saw that Carina was now starring at him, he promptly shut-up.

Sarah was still a little uncomfortable with Chuck's relationship with Carina, more so than his relationship with Tiffany even. But she did trust them both…Ok, so she just trusted Chuck. Carina was Carina after all.

Tiffany rolled her eyes and decided to keep the conversation flowing.

"Girl or boy; doesn't matter. It will be fun teaching him/her self defense."

Morgan took a big gulp of water to help in the swallowing of his food.

"I guess that leaves videogames, movies, and comics to me and Chuck."

All of a sudden, it seemed like everyone exploded into conversations on how to raise Eleanor's unborn child. Ellie, Tiffany, and Carina were discussing what was appropriate and what wasn't; while Devon, Morgan, and Casey were arguing about the child turning into a nerd, a fitness freak, or a Reagan fanatic.

Chuck and Sarah just sat back and kept silent. They looked at each other, smiled, and shared a tender loving kiss. No words need be spoken because they just knew what the other one was thinking and feeling. Everything was perfect.

Sarah nodded to Chuck, and he then proceeded to clear his throat rather loudly. When everyone turned their attention to the couple, Chuck raised his glass and spoke.

"I would just like to make a toast. Everyone here has been through a lot in their lives. Growing up, Ellie and I only had each other…and Morgan. But looking around this table, Sarah and I just feel so blessed to have each and every one of you here with us. And soon enough, a new edition will be added to this little family, and this baby is just going to feel all the love that he or she could ever hope to have. Family is always there for each other, and as long as we stick together, we can do anything…So here's to family, and the soon to be newest member of that family."

Everyone was a little misty eyed when they toasted their glasses.

Ellie got up from her seat and walked over to Chuck, who got up in turn, and the siblings fiercely embraced.

"I love you little brother."

"I love you too sis."

Both Morgan and Captain Awesome yelled 'Group hug' in unison, much too everyone's amusement.

* * *

**June 2010**

**In route to Reykjavík, Iceland**

**G650**

Casey woke from his slumber with a start. Something wasn't right. It was quiet, too quiet.

_Figured Walker and Bartowski would be crying out their lady feelings…Wait, Miller's on this plane too; now I know something isn't right if she isn't yammering about the nerd!_

The Colonel got up from his seat and turned around to look at where his partners were supposed to be, a few rows down. What he saw caused a very distasteful grunt to escape his mouth.

Chuck was fast asleep in one of the seats, while Sarah, who was seated to his left, was burrowed into the moron, sleeping as well. To Bartowski's right, Carina was also out cold, and she too was snuggled up to the nerd.

"How does the nerd do it?" John mumbled to himself under his breath.

There was a tinge of confusion, anger, jealousy, and even pride in the Colonel's tone.

* * *

**June 2010**

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Miles down the way from the small Ring faction**

Team Bartowski arrived at a broken, rundown building, several miles from the small Ring faction. Chuck was honestly worried that the building would collapse just by the sound of one of the Colonel's grunts.

They stepped inside…tentatively…and were met by the Intersect, Orion, and 10 of General Beckman's best men.

_Casey clones! _

Chuck let his Carmichael persona wash over him. They were so close to the finish line, that there was no way he would let himself slip up now.

"Agent Larkin; are you and your group ready?"

"Well hello to you too Chuck" Bryce smiled.

He rolled his eyes at his former friend's unprofessionalism.

"Bryce…" Chuck warned.

Larkin smirked. "Alright, alright…So from our reconnaissance, we weren't able to tell how many agents exactly there were at the main base, but it's definitely underground. From Orion's scans, the structure isn't that huge, so it should limit how many men they have, but it's basically built like a fortress."

Chuck turned to his father. "What's the system like Orion?"

Stephen smiled at his son. He was a little sad that Charles had become an agent, but he accepted it awhile ago, and his son was definitely a better man than he.

"The security network is pretty complex, but once you get inside and into the security grid, it shouldn't be a problem for you. If it was anyone else, I would be worried."

Chuck wanted to hug his dad. He missed him, and compliments, especially from him, were few and far in between. But there were a number of agents in the room, and he wasn't talking about his team. He needed to stay professional in order to command Beckman's tactical team in the future.

"Alright, I'll download the scans of the compound later. Since we have several hours till nightfall…" he turned to Bryce. "…I'm going to give you the transmitter and inject you with several GPS markers right now."

Larkin nodded. "I assume you're going to shoot me up with your Cerebro darts to track me, but what about the transmitter? When they catch me, they're going to thoroughly search me. And if they take away the transmitter, how am I going to get a signal to you when I confirm the Elder's identities?"

He saw the smile on his friend become mischievous, and he felt nervous. _I'm scared of Chuck Bartowski? What the hell…_

"When was the last time you've been to the dentist Bryce?"

Larkin saw Casey pull out some pliers, and he wondered why his best friend hated him so much.

Before he could protest; in a flash, Chuck un-holstered his Five-seveN and shot Bryce. He 'sneezed' and 'accidently' shot his former friend again.

With the Intersect out cold, Team Bartowski then proceeded to fight on who got to pull out Larkin's tooth, for the next 15 minutes.

It was an intense argument, but it came down to either Sarah or Carina. Chuck was dismissed since he was the one who tranqed Bryce in the first place…twice. Casey was also dismissed for the same reason as Chuck. Although John shot Larkin a long time ago, the point was, he still got to shoot him.

Sarah thought she was the clear cut choice, but when Carina made a snide remark about, 'blondie already being intimate enough with that rat-bastard's mouth', it took Beckman's whole tactical team to separate the two homicidal spies.

In the end, Chuck decided that the decision on who got to use the pliers on Bryce would be decided on a game…'The game of kings' to be exact.

Carina yelled in victory when her rock beat Walker's scissors.

* * *

Bryce woke up on a cot feeling a little drowsy, and his mouth hurt like hell! When he lifted his head, he saw flashes of blonde hair. He couldn't accurately make out who it was, but there were only two people in this world that would actually wait by his bedside. The blonde hair pretty much was a dead giveaway.

"Sa…Sarah…What's going on?" He shook his head to clear the cobwebs. Unfortunately, that caused the pain in his mouth to increase, but it did have the desired effect.

Sarah didn't hate Bryce. She still cared for him, but strictly as friends. Some things needed to be said however.

"You're fine. The affects of the tranq should wear off soon; the pain in your mouth too…If you're wondering who, Carina did. She pulled your second molar and attached a fake with the transmitter inside. Chuck will explain how everything will work when we get back out there."

Bryce grabbed a hold of Sarah's hand and tried his hardest to put on his most charming smile.

"You always did take care of me."

She showed a sad smile and pulled her hand out of his grasp.

"Bryce…I'm in love with Chuck. I'm going to do everything in my power to prove it to him every day. And if I can do anything to keep him from hurting; you better believe I will."

"Sarah I get that…"

"No Bryce you don't. You don't know what your words do to him. When it comes to you…You flirting with me, whether it's serious or not, needs to stop. If it doesn't, not only will you lose me as a friend, you're going to lose him as well…You always use to tell me how Chuck was your only true friend. Are you willing to risk his friendship on something that I promise you will never happen?"

Bryce sighed. Maybe it was because he was stubborn, maybe it was because he never wanted to see it, or maybe he just never liked to lose. But Sarah laying it out like that for him finally made him realize how destructive he was being towards the people he cared for. He needed to start acting like the friend he claimed to be.

"I guess this is the end of The Andersons."

She placed her hand on his forearm. "The Andersons were dead a long time ago."

* * *

Chuck was going insane. He trusted Sarah, but that didn't stop a small part of him from imagining the worst case scenario. And if what he imagined came to fruition, then he was going to strap a dozen or so grenades to his body and go all suicide bomber on the Ring's ass…Ok, so he probably wouldn't do that. Chuck would just force Bryce to do it.

Carina looked at Chuck and knew. She walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You know, it's not too late to dump blondie and upgrade to a spicy red head."

Chuck tensed, but after a bit, he relaxed and started to chuckle.

"I knew there was a reason I kept you around."

Miller elbowed him in his side. "You mean you didn't put up with me because of my killer body?"

"Well you are easy on the eyes…" He turned his head and smiled at her. "…Thanks."

Just then, Bryce and Sarah came out of the room, talking about something and laughing.

Chuck's face fell, but before his thoughts could go to that dark corner of his mind, Carina wrapped her arms around him.

"There's no need to worry about those two." To take his mind off it, she flicked her tongue over his ear.

He turned into a reddish statue.

She laughed and gave a quick kiss on his cheek before she sashayed away.

Chuck didn't know how she did it, but he was hypnotized by the way her hips moved. Unfortunately, the worst possible thing broke him out of his trance.

He heard Sarah clear her throat, and when he spun his head around, she was suddenly in front of him. _How in the hell did she get over here so quickly? Oh right, ninja…She looks piiiiiiiiiiiissseed! _

"Uh hey sweetie…how was…I was just…you see what had happened was…you look so pretty!"

He tried to give her the smile of all smiles, but it just came out looking forced, and awkward.

Sarah continued to glare at him. She had had enough, and just stormed off.

Chuck wanted to retort with something involving Bryce, but he really didn't feel like it was the right time to let his immature inner child out. He was thankful that Beckman's team was outside, securing the perimeter, and not inside this ram-shackle of a building, watching the soap opera that was Charles Irving Bartowski's life.

He went in search of Larkin. It was time to get this show on the road.

Chuck found Bryce talking with his father, Carina, and Casey. He didn't know where Sarah was at the moment, but he figured it was probably best to give her some space.

"Hey Bryce…"

* * *

**June 2010**

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Ring Headquarters**

Team Bartowski were hiding a good distance from the farm, waiting on Bryce's progress, as well as the departure of the group of Ring agents tasked to bring in the Intersect. A couple of miles from them laid the second tactical team Beckman sent to aid in the takedown of the Ring. All that team had to do was wait for Carmichaels signal, and unleash hell.

Seeing as they had some time, and with Sarah still mad at him and all, Chuck decided to finally work on things.

"Sarah…"

"What Chuck?" she quickly responded, with a lot more force than necessary.

Thankfully, Carina and Casey were on the opposite side of the farm, so they had some privacy.

He tapped a sequence into Cortana and now their coms were muted. Sarah and Chuck would still be able to hear everything, but no one would be able to hear them.

"Sarah, I just wanted to apologize…I'm sorry."

"What exactly are you sorry for?"

"Umm…"

She growled. "You're not sorry at all!"

"Sarah calm down…Look, Carina was just trying to distract me. I saw you all giggling with Bryce, and she knew I was going to my dark place. She was just a distraction, that's all it was."

Her face softened. "You don't have to worry about me and Bryce."

"That's what Carina said. I don't, well not anymore."

"I've been telling you that, and it hasn't gotten through that thick skull of yours, but when Miller says it, you believe her." Sarah was annoyed.

"It's different when someone on the outside says it."

She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "Do you find her attractive?"

Chuck smiled at how adorable it was that she could ever be insecure.

"I do, but…"

She cut him off. "Great, now I have to worry about red heads as well as brunettes."

He chuckled and pulled her flush against his body, which was slightly difficult since they both were in the prone position.

"Carina is beautiful, but no one can hold a candle to you. You are the most amazing, sexy, beautiful, smart, toughest woman in the whole universe…And besides, I have a thing for blondes."

Sarah gave him a soft kiss. "You better."

Just when their lips were to connect again, their coms crackled to life.

"Heads up, I'm getting a number of heat signatures in the barn." Tiffany relayed to the team from Castle.

Chuck activated his and Sarah's mics and contacted Bryce.

"Larkin, the Ring agents sent to capture you are almost mobile. You better hurry up and take over that base already."

"We're going as fast as possible…Can you tell me how many agents are being sent for me?"

Chuck connected back to Castle.

"Andrews, how many agents are in that barn?"

"I'm not sure. At the moment, it's just one big blob, but it's getting clearer by the second. It seems they're on some type of elevator shaft…I'll let you know when I have a definite answer."

After what seemed like forever, but was only seconds, Tiffany's voice rang through their coms.

"20 agents!"

Chuck relayed the number to Bryce, and he actually seemed amused.

"20 agents for little old me?"

Even though he knew Bryce would be fine, Chuck was still worried.

"Be careful Bryce…We don't know how great a toll flashing on the Elders without the Governor will take."

"It'll be fine Chuck. Besides, Orion will be coming in with the support team, so I'm sure he will be able to find me quickly and check me out."

Casey growled through the earpieces. "The Ring agents are on the move, and it looks like Shaw is with them."

Chuck connected back to Larkin. "They're on the move, and Shaw is with them…Good Luck."

"See you guys soon."

Once the team of Ring agents left, Team Bartowski got ready to move.

Chuck activated his earpiece. "Andrews, we're about to go dark, contact only if needed."

"Roger that team, be safe." Tiffany responded.

Morgan's voice then came through.

"Kick some serious ass guys…and gals!"

Casey grunted. "It's what we do best Grimes."

And with that, the coms went dark with Castle, and the two pairs of Team Bartowski approached the barn from opposite sides.

Each pair quickly dispatched of the roaming patrols, and quickly entered the barn.

They were all looking for the possible entry way to the elevator when Carina stumbled onto a vending machine that dispensed only milk bottles, way in the back of the barn.

"Over here guys…A soda machine for milk, really? Can this be any more suspicious?"

Sarah snorted. "Move over Carina and let Chuck do his thing, we need to hurry this along."

Carina moved to the side, and Chuck quickly went to work.

It seemed that you needed to press the buttons in a certain sequence to activate it. Thankfully, with the upgrades he made to Cortana, he no longer needed to attach his wrist computer into the device he needed to hack. Being in a certain proximity to that device was good enough for Cortana to latch onto the signal so Chuck…a.k.a. Carmichael, a.k.a. Piranha…could do what he did best.

After several minutes, a 'click' and a 'hiss' could be heard, and the vending machine, along with a large portion of the floor started to descend.

Chuck started to get nervous as his team was being lowered into the darkness.

_This is it!  
_

* * *

**A/N (2): The end is near! **

**Unfortunately, the idea of another story is taking up space in my mind and distracting me from Domino Effect. Of course I will finish this first before I start another long term project…Would anybody be interested in a High-school/College story?**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: So, so, so sorry for the delay, been sick as a dog lately and haven't felt the energy to write. Still feel like crap, but trying to write my way through it even though I want to sleep for 168 hours straight. That and I've been somewhat lazy hah.**

**Special thanks to my beta uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Chapter 16**

**June 2010**

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Ring Headquarters**

Chuck started to get nervous as his team was being lowered into the darkness.

_This is it!_

The platform seemed to be going at a snail's pace, which only added to the anxiety everyone felt.

Although Cortana revealed that there would only be two Ring agents guarding the entrance of the base, a whole scene flashed before Chuck's mind of 100 agents waiting for Team Bartowski to descend just so that they could be gunned down.

_Am I leading us to our deaths? No! Cortana isn't wrong…I'm not wrong! But, what if they know about our satellite! What if they somehow altered Cortana's readings!_

Chuck took a step forward essentially positioning his body in front of Sarah. There was a good chance he might have been overreacting, but he wasn't going to take that risk with Sarah's life. And if he had to die just so she would have a better chance at escaping, then so be it.

The platform started slowing down even more, indicating the end of the line. The sight of the two guards was a welcome relief to Chuck.

As planned, Casey shot the agent on the right, and all that was left to do was for Bartowski to take out his man…Which the moron should have already done!

As relieved as Chuck was at the moment for not facing a firing squad, his hesitation could have proven fatal if it wasn't for some dumb luck.

Luckily, the Ring agent was expecting the group on the platform to be Shaw and his men, so he was momentarily caught off guard. True, Shaw and the group of Ring agents had just left, but maybe they forgot something. By the time he reached for his gun, Chuck had already snapped out of his respite, and fired his Five-seveN; rendering the man unconscious.

Casey and Carina glared at him for his lack of concentration, and he smiled sheepishly in return. Sarah had a look of horrification pass through her, but Chuck knew he shouldn't dwell on that at the moment. He knew he screwed up, and it nearly cost someone their life. It was time for Charles Carmichael to lead, and Chuck Bartowski to fall back.

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**In route to the small Ring faction**

Daniel had a huge smirk on his face. A team, along with the Intersect, was storming a small Ring base nearby, and the Director had chosen him to lead a group of agents to go and capture him. Unfortunately, the Elders wanted Larkin alive, but if he was lucky, Sarah Walker would be with him.

His smile faltered slightly. _Strange…the Intersect happens to be in Iceland of all places._

The idiots stationed at the small Ring faction couldn't confirm a sighting of the blonde female agent, or any female for that matter, but she had to be with the Intersect. Agents Walker and Larkin made Team Intersect for Christ sakes! He would just have to find her himself, since he seemed to be the only competent person in this whole damn country.

Shaw tightened the grip he had on his Heckler & Koch HK45C. He was going to take his time and enjoy getting to know Sarah Walker.

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Ring Headquarters**

Chuck really didn't like this part of the plan. Not because he thought it wouldn't work, it was just slightly creepy. As he stripped and dressed himself in the clothes of the unconscious Ring agent he tranqed, he sensed his team's dislike of this part of the mission parameters as well. He didn't like it because it just felt icky, and his team didn't like it because they felt he shouldn't have been the one to do it. That slightly annoyed him.

He sighed. "Look Sarah, we had an understanding. Since not one of the agents we took out so far were women, we can't take the chance of you or Carina being seen by the cameras. And since not one of those guards was as big as a bear; that rules Casey out as well."

The Colonel growled but quickly stopped and grunted his acceptance in the nerd's reasoning.

Sarah walked up to Chuck and started fixing his tie. When she was done, her hands lingered on his chest, not willing to give up the sensation she felt whenever in contact with him, just yet.

"Just stay calm and if you bump into someone, don't panic or do anything stupid…" She smiled to take off any of the sting in her playful comment. "…Be careful."

Chuck chuckled. "Please, that's my middle name."

Casey half laughed, half grunted. "Your middle name is stupid? That makes sense."

Chuck glared at John and was about to retort when Carina interjected.

"Strange, I though Chuck's middle name was Irving." The red head replied with feigned ignorance.

He shook his head. "Hilarious guys, but I'm the funny one on this team…" He placed a soft kiss on Sarah's delicious lips. "…I'll be **careful**…promise."

Thankfully, there weren't cameras watching every inch of this base. There was a large stretch of open land between the main building and the entrance gate that didn't seem to have any coverage. A few stretches of hallway were also lacking in surveillance. And more importantly, a large room right smack dab in the middle of the compound also seemed void of any security feed…This room was the most likely candidate for the meeting with The Elders.

It was pretty convenient that the leaders of the Ring took the secrecy of their identities so seriously that they would have uncovered areas in their security grid. Didn't they ever worry about the problems the holes in security might cause if the government ever found out about this place? But of course, like always, not everything could be so fortunate. The path to the security room had every inch of space highlighted by a camera, and there was just no other way to get into the room without being seen. There wasn't a person sized vent or an alternative route to take, so the best course of action would be to just hide in plain sight. Hence the 'sort of' disguise.

Casey and Carina carried the agent, the one not half naked, over to the retinal scanner by the door. After Carina peeled his left eyelid back; the scanner activated, and the door unlocked with an audible click.

Chuck patted down the shoulder holster he wore containing his Smith & Wesson Series V and Five-seveN, just to reassure himself. He couldn't wear his usual tactical gear underneath the suit since it would be too bulky and might attract unwanted attention. So instead, his team would just have to bring him his gear once he got done tweaking the security feed. That way, they wouldn't have to worry about the cameras while going through the halls.

It felt weird wearing the shoulder holster. He just thought his guns were way too close to his body.

He took a deep breath and threw his team a Bartowski special. He could do this, and his team needed reassurance.

"See you guys soon."

Chuck walked through the door and shut it behind him. His hand quickly shot up to shield his eyes from the bright lights of the place. Everything was so relucent…and white…it was a little unnerving. He actually might have felt a tad better if the place was dreary and scary looking. You know…the way evil doers' bases are supposed to look.

Charles Carmichael walked through the halls with the confidence and swagger that showed he belonged there. And if anyone were to even think about questioning him, they were as good as dead. Of course the nerd in him was freaking out, but no one needed to know that detail.

He knew he could rely on Cortana, but at that moment, he was extremely grateful he took the time to study the layout of the compound. It might have raised some suspicions if he kept lifting his left arm just to check his 'watch'.

It took Chuck almost 45 minutes just to make it to the door of the security room. The base wasn't ridiculously large or anything, and he didn't get lost, it was the few agents who stopped him to chat that kept him away from his destination for so long…2 male agents and 3 female agents to be exact. Most of them tried to figure out why Chuck looked so damn familiar, but Carmichael's attitude put a stop to that nonsense. By the time he was done talking, those agents all believed him to be their superior. Of course, there was that one female agent who seemed to want nothing more than to be 'debriefed' on a mission Chuck was sure she made up right on the spot. Yeah, he wasn't planning on mentioning that to Sarah; she had enough to worry about.

_I guess Carina or Sarah could have been the ones to go in. But then again, I am the better option when it comes to hacking into the security feed, so…_

Chuck knew exactly where the camera was, so he quickly spun around, exposing his back, and knelt down; giving the impression of tying his shoes. While Cortana was working on the door, Chuck used his wrist computer to also study the number of people in the security room and each of their positions.

Once he gained access to the room, and he formulated how he would execute his plan to take down the agents on the other side, he got up, and threw the door open. Before any of the four men could react, Chuck quickly drew his Five-seveN and fired off four tranqs, each dart hitting its intended target in the chest. He closed the door behind him before the bodies even hit the floor.

Chuck quickly went over to the main console and got started on erasing footage, looping certain video feeds, and hacking into the security network. He would need full access to the base to make it easier for the tactical team to enter later on. He felt calm and collected. This was his element. He wasn't a conceited person, but he knew there were very few better than him when it dealt with technology.

10 minutes later, and he completed all that needed to be done at the moment.

He keyed his mic. "Guys, start making your way to the security room. I'll guide you from my position."

Sarah's voice cut through his earpiece.

"We're on our way to you, sit tight."

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Ring faction**

Daniel felt like something was off. His gut was never wrong.

The agents at the base the Intersect was currently at had somehow turned the tables on their opposition. Apparently, once Larkin and his team had taken over the building, the whole tactical team left, leaving the Intersect alone to watch over the few agents who weren't in the process of being taken into custody at the moment.

Why would they leave the Intersect alone? There's no way Larkin is that over confident that he…actually, that's probably it.

When the SUV stopped in front of the building, Daniel hastily exited the vehicle and went inside.

The place was a complete mess. It looked like a bomb had basically gone off, but honestly he could care less. He was a man on a mission. The sight of Bryce Larkin standing in the middle of the floor with 2 agents having their guns trained on him did make him smile a little however.

Shaw walked right up to Larkin and punched him with enough force to plant him on his ass.

"Where's Walker!?"

Bryce rubbed his jaw. "And all this time, I thought you were after me. That really hurts Shaw."

Daniel picked him up and kneed him in the gut. With Bryce doubled over; he bent down to be heard.

"Where is she?"

After a beat, Bryce straightened himself back up and smirked.

"I really don't think you're her type."

A left hook drew blood from Bryce's mouth. Shaw reached behind for his gun, but one of the Ring agents that he rode with, stopped him from drawing by gripping his forearm.

"Shaw, the Director wants the Intersect alive. We should be heading back before his support comes."

Daniel paused for a second, then shrugged the agent off and spun around to face him.

"You're right."

The agent nodded and walked off to rejoin the rest of his team, but Shaw's voice made him turn back around.

"Rodriguez…" A bullet shot through the air and pierced the Ring agent's skull. "…don't ever touch me."

Shaw placed his gun back in the waistband of his pants.

He pointed at a few men. "You three secure the Intersect and bring him to one of the cars…" He turned to Bryce. "…Oh and Larkin, once you're done with your little meeting with The Elders, we'll continue our discussion."

Bryce struggled against the zip ties the 3 Ring agents placed on his hands behind his back.

"You'll never find her."

Shaw's smile looked of a person who had finally cracked.

"Nothing will stop me."

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Ring Headquarters**

With the cameras at his disposal, when Chuck heard the knocking at the door, he knew exactly who it was.

Once at the door, he asked, "Password?"

He heard the, oh so familiar growl, and he hurriedly let them in.

The Colonel bumped his way past Chuck.

"You finish with all, that nerd crap moron?"

He ignored his grumpy burly friend as he closed the door after everyone stepped inside.

"Everything is set. So all we need to do is to wait until Bryce gets here and signals us after flashing on all the Elders."

"You sure this is where we should be hiding Chucky?"

"I figure this is a good a place as any. There's already four agents stationed here, so the chances of more people coming in here are highly unlikely. This place should give us the least amount of chances of running into someone."

Carina figured he was probably right.

"So what do we do while we wait?"

Chuck didn't really know. He had everything set, and now they just needed to wait for Bryce. Suddenly, an idea hit him on how to pass some time.

"If you guys were stuck on an island…."

Chuck never finished his question since his attention was suddenly drawn to one of the consoles. On the screen was a short man, and by the look of fear radiating from every agent he passed, it was a good bet he held a position of power. That, and the fact that he seemed to be ordering everyone around, screamed authority…as well as prick!

"Guys, we might have a problem."

Sarah walked over to where Chuck was seated while Carina asked what the problem was.

"Well, there's a man on his way to us."

Casey looked at the screen and grunted. "Let him come. We can take the midget out when he opens the door."

Chuck shook his head, not once taking his eyes off the screen. "We can't do that. From the interactions I've seen with him and the other agents, he seems pretty important…My guess is that he possibly could be the Director. And if that's the case, if we take him out and he's not present to hand off the Intersect to The Elders, this whole plan could unravel, and fast."

Chuck was right. The man on the screen, headed directly towards the security room, was the Director. The Ring higher up was personally making sure that everything was ready for the arrival of The Intersect. The Director was going to make damn sure that once the Intersect stepped foot in his base, he wasn't going to be leaving any time soon.

Sarah squeezed Chucks shoulder to get his attention.

"So what do we do?"

Nothing came out of his mouth because he honestly didn't know. Chuck started running possibilities and probabilities through his mind, but he didn't have enough time to formulate a proper plan as The Director was getting ever so closer. He panicked.

"Sarah, you and Carina start hiding the bodies…Casey, start stripping that guy next to you and change into his clothes."

The Colonel growled. "Are you crazy Bartowski!? I'm twice the size of every person in here."

"Then be smaller!" Chuck knew he wasn't making sense, but they were running out of time.

He glanced at the screen again, and what he saw had him frozen in anticipation.

The Director suddenly stopped several feet from the security room door, and fished out his phone. The small man started talking and a smile grew on his face.

_Good news apparently._

After he hung up the phone, he spun around and started walking the opposite way of the security room. Unknowingly, Shaw had saved the whole mission by calling The Director and letting him know that they had the Intersect in custody and were now on their way back.

Chuck breathed a sigh of relief and turned towards his team…Missing how The Director stopped a passing agent, ordering him to make sure everything was operational with their security system in his stead.

Chuck smiled. "That was a close one…I guess it's better to be lucky than good."

The door suddenly beeped, indicating the approval of the pass code to unlock it, and swung open.

This time, Chuck didn't hesitate as he spun around and drew his Five-seveN in one fluid motion, and fired at the Ring agent, hitting him directly in the neck. The agent collapsed, not being able to reach his radio in time to alert the others.

Chuck spun back around to face the Colonel.

"So Casey…deserted island…type of sandwich…Go!"

* * *

When Shaw and his men got back to headquarters with the package, his concerns only grew when the two men stationed at the entrance of the base weren't there. He radioed in to one of the men in the security room, but that agent said there wasn't anything amiss. Something just felt wrong deep down, but with the growing excitement of getting to torture the information about Sarah Walker out of Larkin, he just let it slide. Shaw figured the two idiot guards were just asleep somewhere. Still, the fact that the voice on the radio sounded oddly familiar, only added to that nagging feeling he felt. He would make sure he stayed vigilant.

After handing off the Intersect to the Director, Shaw went off to prepare one of the interrogation rooms for his conversation with Larkin.

* * *

Bryce felt like shit.

Before he was loaded into the car, they had taken his Governor off believing it to be some sort of tracking device. It probably was, but it also was so much more than that.

Every flash that overtook him since then, only added to the feeling like his head was imploding. Mercifully…even though they didn't know it…they blindfolded him when they were halfway to Ring headquarters. That however, didn't stop him from flashing on the Director's voice when they got there.

But now here he was, sans blindfold, in some dark room with the Director to his left. In front of him was an elongated table of some sort, and above that, a large glowing ring.

A panel in the back of the room slid open and five individuals stepped out. It was too dark for Bryce to flash on anything, but he figured these people to be the Elders.

The five individuals walked up a platform and sat behind the table that was several feet in front of Bryce. The lighting made sure that there was no way their identities would be revealed unless they so chose too.

The Director stepped up. "This is Agent Bryce Larkin…The host of The Intersect."

One of the shadowy individuals spoke. Which one, Bryce had no idea, and even though the voice seemed digitally altered, he was still able to tell that it was a voice belonging to a man.

"What does the Intersect know about us?"

This was his opening. If the Elders were concerned about what was in the Intersect about them, then he might be able to force their hand into showing themselves.

He made sure that the slightest hint of a smirk would be visible as he answered.

"Nothing"

This time, the voice that spoke, sounded like a woman.

"Mr. Larkin, make this easier on yourself. We will make you talk eventually."

With a confident bravado, and a slight cockiness in his tone, he responded.

"I can take a little torture."

Yet another male voice rang out.

"We don't doubt that Mr. Larkin. However, can you say the same about Ms. Walker? Shaw seems very eager to…be reacquainted with her. It's only a matter of time till we find her…Or how about your one time college roommate…a one Charles Bartowski?"

A brief flash of surprise washed over Bryce's face. It wasn't an act either.

The same man who uttered the names of his loved ones apparently saw that miniscule wave of emotion.

"We know more than you realize. How you can do what you did to him at Stanford and still seem to care for the poor boy, we have no idea. Let's say we pay him and his sister a visit and ask how they feel about you."

Bryce's shoulder slumped. It was hard to convey the perfect amount of faux dejection, but then again, he was a master at manipulating others emotions.

"What do you want?"

A third man's voice conveyed the Ring's desire with the Intersect.

"We want to know everything that's in your head. And after that, we want you to come work with us."

Bryce shook his head and stayed silent for a couple of minutes, in an attempt to show the fight within himself about the decision that he had already made.

"Fine…But I need to see your faces. I can't tell you the information I have on you, unless I see something specific that triggers the Intersect."

The Elders huddled as they discussed their options in hushed tones.

The last of the five Elders, the one who hadn't spoken yet, decided to relay their decision. It was another woman, bringing the count to 3 males and 2 females.

"We will reveal ourselves, but know this. If you defect to the Ring and become our good little soldier, we will stay away from your little friends. We'll even keep Shaw away from Agent Walker…But, you try anything, and we'll burn everything closest to you to the ground."

He nodded, choosing to stay quiet, as a little fear crept into his heart. If something were to go wrong, and the Elders somehow escaped, he knew there was a good chance The Ring would make good on their threat. But Bryce quickly erased that thought, choosing to have faith in Carmichael's plan…To have faith in Chuck Bartowski.

Bryce readied himself for what was to come. The Governor didn't heal him by any means, so he figured that continuing to flash without it was going to feel like torture. Add in the fact that The Elders were probably going to cause the Intersect to react so intensely, and he knew he was screwed. He really hated this part of the plan.

Suddenly, the room illuminated…not a shadow in sight.

The first flash hit him hard, but he was able to keep it together by digging his nails into his palms as he gritted his teeth.

The second flash caused a slight groan to slip his lips and his knees wobbled. Torture seemed like a better option at this point.

The third flash brought him to his knees as his hands clutched his head. No one seemed bothered by his screams.

The fourth flash resulted in blood pouring from his nose. He was on the verge of passing out, but he knew he needed one more flash. If he died because of it, it would be such a sweet release.

With a herculean effort, Bryce forced himself to flash one more time. It was a true testament on the strength of his will for him to flash, dislodge the faux tooth with his tongue, and to activate the transmitter, before he crumpled to the floor. He was on the edge of unconsciousness, somewhat like a dream state.

As he felt the Director lifting him towards a chair…they obviously didn't care how he felt and were probably planning on interrogating the information out of him right here and now…he had just one thought.

_It's all up to Team Bartowski.  
_

* * *

Chuck received the signal, and the team swiftly and stealthily, made their way to Bryce's position. Following Cortana, they were able to make their way through the halls with little to no exposure. Any force that they did meet, were quickly dealt with by Casey, Sarah, and Carina, before any of the Ring agents got the chance to set off an alarm.

Noticing that they were close to Bryce's signal, Chuck radioed his father.

"All forces are to storm that base now…Once inside, make your way to the west side of the compound so that you can draw their fire."

"Understood…be careful."

Chuck knew he shouldn't be getting emotional right now, but he couldn't ignore the pleading tone in his father's voice.

"You too…" He was planning on having a talk with his father about being around more when this was all said and done.

It took them awhile, and at one point, Chuck had thought they were lost with all the turns they were making, but they were closing in on The Elders. With one more corner to turn before they reached their destination, Chuck stopped his team.

His wrist computer showed there to be eight agents, all waiting outside the room Bryce and supposedly The Elders, were in.

Before Casey could suggest a little gun play, The Ring agent's radios activated, and the sounds of gunfire and explosions pierced everyone's ears.

Six agents quickly left while two stayed behind. Suffice it to say, the Colonel and Agent Miller made quick work of the two.

With the two guards dispatched, Chuck hastily made his way to the door, in order to unlock it before someone activated the alarm for the base. They needed this door open before The Elders were alerted of any disturbance so that they could catch them off guard.

Seeing as Chuck already hacked into the security grid, it was very anticlimactic getting access to the door that stood in their way. A few keystrokes, and he had complete control of the electronically controlled panel door. Just in time too, because before he could press the button to retract the panel, the alarm rang out.

Chuck got the door to retract up, and Team Bartowski proceeded to throw a number of flash bangs into the room before shutting the door. They waited several seconds, and when Chuck got the door open again, they charged the room.

It was a bit of dumb luck that one of the Elders had fired off his gun while he was disoriented by the flash bangs, and had actually hit something.

Chuck collapsed to the floor with a 'thud'.

Sarah twirled towards the noise, and her resolved crumbled at the sight.

"Chuck!" Sarah rushed to Chuck's stilled body and cradled his head with her hands onto her lap.

Casey and Carina quickly knocked out the Elders and the Director, all of whom were still reeling from the effects of the flash bangs, by hitting them with the butt end of their guns. A little more force was used on the man who had shot their leader and friend. Afterwards, Carina quickly went to Chuck's side while Casey checked on Larkin.

The darkness was settling in on Sarah as she fought to stay sane. She could see the bullet that hadn't fully pierced his vest, yet the thought of him dying kept running through her mind. There was no blood, and the impact of the bullet had probably just caused him to pass out, but she still wouldn't be satisfied till she got to gaze upon his warm chocolaty eyes.

"Wake up baby…Please come back to me." There was a slight quiver in her voice.

After the Colonel deemed Larkin to be fine, he walked over to his partners. Casey knew Chuck was fine since he saw that the bullet had hit his vest, but he was still slightly worried for the kid. After giving his fallen friend a quick look over however, any worry he had, dissipated.

Grunting, John slapped Bartowski rather harshly.

"Wake up moron!"

Chuck's eyelids shot open and he inhaled a sharp breath.

"What happened?"

Casey smirked. "You got shot and passed out you pansy."

Chuck half coughed, half chuckled.

"I don't think I'll ever get use to that…" He turned his head and saw the redness of his beloved's eyes. He abruptly sat upright. "…Oh Sarah, I'm so…"

She placed a finger to his lips. "Shhhh...Its' ok, you're ok. Let's just finish everything up soon so we can go home and I can take care of you."

Chuck gave her his special smile and they converged for a chaste kiss…well a chaste kiss for them anyways.

Casey gave a disgusted grunt. "Really, on a mission? Can you two stow away your lady parts till you're in private?"

Chuck and Sarah both laughed while their lips were still intertwined.

Carina smirked, "Jealous Sugar Bear?"

Chuck dug into one of his vest pockets and pulled out a watch as he held it out for Carina to take.

"Carina, attach this to Bryce, it should help."

She looked puzzled for a second. "Is this…" She saw him nod his head and it caused her to smile. "…Of course, why am I not surprised?"

When Carina walked off, Chuck took his Five-seveN and loaded it with a magazine of his Cerebro darts. He held the tranq gun out to the Colonel.

"Casey, shoot The Elders and the Director with this just in case."

Although he wasn't happy he wasn't using live ammo to shoot the top brasses of The Ring, he was grateful to get away from his sickeningly sweet partners. As he took the gun and stomped off, he muttered something about dying of diabetes.

Orion's voice rang in their earpieces.

"How's everything on your end?"

Chuck activated his mic. "Good, were in the process of detaining the Elders…Bryce is unconscious, so we need you to check him out soon."

"I'm sure his brain just shut down in order to heal after all that flashing without the Governor. I'll check him out as soon as I can, which might take awhile."

Chuck hoped everything was ok, and as such, he asked if there was a problem.

"We've got a bit of a stalemate at this point. We got them pinned down, but it's a little risky to advance on their position. If you guys can flank their side, it should speed things along."

"Alright, Walker and Casey are on their way. Sit tight."

With the help of Sarah, Chuck stood up.

"Sarah, Casey, you guys need to help my father and the rest of the tactical team with the arrest of the remaining Ring agents. Carina and I will stay here to keep an eye on everyone…"

John was ecstatic to be heading into a gun fight while Sarah wasn't so happy. She didn't want to leave Chuck, but better she go then him. Carina wasn't happy to stay behind.

"…Just have Andrews direct you on where to go."

Casey and Sarah nodded and then took off towards the shootout.

The red head huffed. "Why do I get to miss all the fun?"

Why did he ask his girlfriend instead of Carina to go?

"What you getting tired of me already Carina?"

"Obviously…" she responded with a straight face.

Chuck's decision essentially put Sarah in more danger! So why did he do it? Essentially, he's the quasi leader of Team Bartowski, so could he really be selfish when it came to the team? In all honesty…and he would never say this out loud in fear of repercussions…Sarah was the better agent between the blonde and red head. That's not to say that Carina wouldn't have been able to do the job if sent, but calculating for the greatest probability for success, then Sarah would be the way to go. He made the best decision there was, and because of it, his heart wanted to explode. Of course, if he had been selfish and sent Carina so Sarah could stay safe, and Carina got hurt because of it, there was no telling what dark hole Chuck would have crawled into; never to be seen again. Then again, if Sarah got hurt, his life would essentially end…

He was broken out of his musings by Miller's voice.

"Since everyone is out, how about we play some strip poker while we wait?"

"We have no cards" he deadpanned.

"Fine…then just strip."

Chuck laughed as he walked off to make sure their prisoners were secured. He loved Carina to death, basically as much as Ellie. Of course he could do with less of the flirting, but that was what made Carina…Carina. She didn't need to change, and he knew what was really hidden underneath her coquettish exterior. All of it just made it hard not to fall for the fiery red head.

But where others had failed, Chuck easily succeeded. How? Well the answer is simple really. The love he has for one Sarah Walker is completely unparalleled. The love he has for the blonde agent is by far, leaps and bounds ahead of how he feels for anyone else, that it actually terrifies him at times. But what else is new?

Chuck made the decision that was most beneficial for the mission. He was the leader; he needed to do what was best for everyone.

So the choice he made was right, right?

Being leader sucks…Team Grimes anyone?

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**On the road**

_This might have turned out better than I thought._

It had taken Shaw a bit of time…and trouble…but he had successfully escaped and was now on his way too…somewhere. He needed to contact his inside sources in the government before he decided on what to do next.

Daniel was still in the interrogation room when the shit hit the fan. He wasn't surprised at all when the alarm came blaring throughout the compound. Ever since he had heard of the Intersect attacking a base nearby the main Ring hub, he felt a little uneasy. Then there was the ease at which they had captured Larkin, and the two missing guards at the entrance. He should have listened to his gut!

The minute the alarm sounded, he made his way to the room where The Elders were supposed to be having their meeting with the Intersect. He couldn't care less about what the Ring wanted with Larkin; all he knew was that he needed him to track down Sarah.

As he got closer to the room, he realized that the door was open and he started hearing voices. He peeked inside, and what he saw shocked the hell out of him.

There, on the floor, was the object of his obsession. But what was strange was that she wasn't tending to that arrogant prick Larkin. Who the hell did she have in her lap? Interesting…

Daniel listened with rapt attention to everything that was being said. It seemed that they had some type of relationship that went beyond partners…and did they just kiss!? Oh he could definitely use this.

Shaw took off running. Yes, he could have drawn his gun and ended that bitch's life right then and there, but he needed more than that. He wanted her to suffer, and from what he saw, he figured out how to do exactly that.

Now he was in a car, trying to drive as far away as he could from Ring headquarters, doing his best to get into contact with one of his sources inside the NSA or CIA. He felt a tad guilty for seducing these women, but the knowledge they gave him was priceless. And as they say, knowledge is power.

* * *

**Reykjavík, Iceland**

**Ring Headquarters**

Morgan and Tiffany had called in a cleanup crew, and had contacted the General to give her a summary of the mission. To say that Beckman was happy would be an understatement, but then again, no one would have been able to tell since she kept her stoic expression in place.

Team Bartowski were all top side, awaiting the cleanup crew while the tactical team rounded up all the prisoners. The leader of the tac. team walked up to Chuck and whispered something into his ear before he walked off.

Sarah could see Chuck's jaw clench.

"What's wrong Chuck?"

"Shaw…they can't find him. He escaped."

"It's alright…"

"It's not alright Sarah. If he's out there then that means he'll just be waiting for the perfect time to attack you!"

Sarah got annoyed with the fact that Chuck thought of her as weak.

"I can take care of myself!"

That response only seemed to frustrate Chuck more.

"You shouldn't have to…" His shoulders slumped as he sighed. "…I know you can take care of yourself Sarah, but…that doesn't mean I don't get worried."

Her features softened as she placed her hand on his cheek. He lent into her touch.

Casey stepped in closer to the two.

"Don't worry Bartowski. He won't be able to get close to her without us knowing."

Carina placed her hand on Sarah's shoulder.

"Yeah Chuckles. He won't be able to fuck with our family."

Chuck smiled. Himself, Sarah, Casey, Carina, Ellie, Devon, Tiffany, Morgan…they were a family. A weird one, but a strong family none-the-less.

Stephen made his was over to the group, with Bryce using him as a support.

Chuck saw his father and Bryce walking towards them.

"How're you feeling?"

Larkin gave a weak smile. "Oh you know, like all the hangovers we had back at Stanford all rolled into one…Now multiply that by ten."

The Colonel snorted. "Surprised you didn't mess the plan up Larkin."

Bryce narrowed his eyes at John. "Gee thanks."

Casey grunted and walked off. He muttered something about still wanting to shoot Larkin as he left.

Bryce turned to Chuck. "Where's Shaw?"

"He escaped somehow."

Larkin groaned. "He's never going to stop coming after Sarah…He's pretty damned obsessed with her."

Carina glared at him. "Not helping idiot."

"Hey, I'm just letting you guys know!"

Stephen interjected to try to calm things.

"Don't worry son, we'll find him."

Sarah took Chuck's hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. He nodded in response to his father.

* * *

20 minutes later, the cleanup crew arrived.

Chuck was holding Sarah in an embrace when she broke it and stood on her toes to give him a kiss.

"Take me home Chuck."

* * *

**A/N (2): I'm thinking there's either going to be 1 more chapter and then an epilogue or I might just combine the two. When I start writing the next chapter, if I just keep writing and writing, then I'll separate the epilogue. But if I see that my next chapter is somewhat short, then I'll combine it with the epilogue into one chapter.**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


	17. Epilogue

**A/N: So I had this idea. All you readers know what you want to have happen, so everyone should make up their own epilogues. When I thought about the ending to this story…and I mean just the Chara-ie(?), Chara-esk(?), fluffy(?), parts…The song, "Simply Amazing" by Trey Songz, came to mind. If you really listen to the lyrics, I think it actually sums up what Chuck's feeling towards Sarah. So, while imagining your own ending, give that song a listen. Now, if you want to read my epilogue, then please, read on. But I can safely guarantee that your own epilogue will be so much better than mine since…well you know…you got to have everything you wanted.**

**Please read the A/N (2) at the end of this chapter. You don't technically have to, but I hope you do. It's just some of my thoughts, apologies, and thanks, towards everyone.**

**Special thanks to my beta uplink2. **

**I don't own Chuck or anything for that matter. No money being made here. **

**Words in italics are characters thoughts. Watch the dates and locations cause I tend to jump around a lot.**

…**...**

**Epilogue**

**June 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Castle/Carmichael Industries**

"Congratulations team, job well done!"

All of Team Bartowski, as well as Bryce and Orion, were down in Castle for a debriefing with the General. Seeing as how her team had taken yet another organized threat against the nation down, she was quite elated. With Fulcrum gone, and the Ring essentially in ruins, the count presently stood at Team Chuck: 2; 'Evil nut jobs': 0.

"Thank you ma'am, we couldn't have accomplished this feat without everyone in this room, as well as yourself, General." Chuck had a smile plastered on, but he wasn't so much happy as he was relieved that the Ring was basically no more. Although, only a part of him was calm since the bigger part was stressing over the fact that Shaw was still on the loose.

Beckman nodded her appreciation. "You have all earned yourself a small break. But once that's over, we must focus all of our attention on the constantly rising threat of Volkoff Industries."

Chuck raised his hand. "General, I mean no disrespect, but I don't think we should take any serious action against Alexei Volkoff until we have dealt with Daniel Shaw."

Diane's face scrunched in a slightly annoyed expression. She didn't like the fact that Shaw had escaped either, and she knew why Chuck was so focused on him, but she really couldn't have her best team's attention divided at such a critical point in time. With the ever increasing danger to the nation by the hands of this emerging organization, Volkoff needed to be priority number one.

"Daniel Shaw has gone underground. Ever since we found out he'd turned rogue, we have frozen all of his assets. We're assuming that he used the Ring to back him financially in return for his services. Now that the Ring is destroyed, he has virtually nothing. Even though Shaw is in the wind at the moment, he will turn up eventually. We have our feelers out for him, so don't worry Chuck."

Nobody present in Castle was satisfied with that answer. As much as they hated the man, there was no denying the fact that Agent Shaw was an experienced spy. Not having funds wouldn't stop someone like him from his quest for revenge. Still, nobody wanted to challenge the General, so they held their tongues. Well, nobody but Chuck.

"That's not good enough General! We can't just be sitting around, twiddling our thumbs while we wait for his impending attack. We need to find him before he hurts someone!" _Before he hurts Sarah!_

The General was livid at Chuck's blatant show of disrespect.

"Agent Carmichael, YOU will follow my orders, and YOU will go after whoever I tell YOU to!"

Both the General and Chuck glared at each other, waiting for the other to blink first. The tension was palpable, and nobody dared make a sound.

Minutes later, and the staring match continued. Chuck was visibly upset, and Diane understood why, but as much as it pained her, she needed Team Bartowski on Volkoff instead of chasing down Shaw for however long. Beckman trusted that another team could locate the rogue agent, but she didn't trust any other team in handling something as nuclear as Alexei Volkoff.

The General blinked.

Beckman sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

"You're a major pain in my-…Look Carmi…Bart…Chuck. I understand you're worried for the safety of your team, I understand. But I need your team focused on the take down of Volkoff. You have my word that I'll do everything I can to find Shaw. I'll get my best men on it."

Morgan took a step forward and raised his hand, "Ma'am?"

Casey growled. "Shut it moron!"

The bearded one was a little frustrated with the Colonel demeaning him now, of all times, but he had his best friend's back.

Morgan stuck out his chest. "General, we are your best."

Beckman opened her mouth then closed it. _He's not wrong._

"Be that as it may Mr. Grimes, I still need Team Bartowski to focus their efforts on Volkoff Industries."

Chuck took a calming breath and really thought about it. The General was right; an evil organization bent out to destroy the nation, and the world, took precedent over one man. For all he knew, Shaw could be in some bunker/safe house at the moment, never to be heard or seen from again…_I wish_. Or maybe while he was escaping, during the Ring takedown, he got in a car accident and died…_If only_. Chuck needed to trust Beckman with finding Shaw. It was probably better this way since he was too emotionally invested. Since the rest of his team didn't seem to protest Beckman's decision, they probably agreed with it. So who was he to argue against a General and a team of highly competent spies? Chuck wanted the best option that kept everyone safe, especially his loved ones. He only hoped that whatever the General had planned was enough.

Chuck relented. "General, I understand. You need us on something bigger…Just don't take this lightly. He knows about the Intersect, and he was ex-CIA, so who knows what secrets he's planning on selling. Shaw isn't our main priority, but he is a priority…And no need to worry about us, we'll do our best to take down Alexei Volkoff."

Beckman smiled. She was glad he understood her position.

"I have no doubt Chuck."

Bryce cleared his throat from the back of the room.

"I'm sure I can use the Intersect to track Shaw down faster."

Diane mulled it over. She had initially wanted the Intersect, along with Team Bartowski, to hit Volkoff Industries on multiple fronts, but Chuck had a point. She needed to speed up the capture of Daniel Shaw, if only for everyone's peace of mind. The Intersect could advance things along in locating that traitor exponentially. Having Agent Larkin track down Shaw while her best team focused on Volkoff seemed like essentially a win-win.

"Very well, Agent Larkin, you are to report to D.C. for some additional testing on the Intersect. Once you are cleared, after some appointed down time, you may begin your mission on capturing Daniel Shaw. Terminate if need be…" The General glanced at everyone. "…Team Bartowski, take some time to gather yourselves, then contact me when your vacation is up. Make the most of it because once your back, we need all hands on deck to stop this new threat. Now are there any other questions?" Her hand reached for the button to terminate the feed. She didn't care if there were any questions. But as her finger grazed the button, she suddenly remembered something.

"I almost forgot. Agent Walker…your request for permanent reassignment has been approved. Welcome to Team Bartowski. May God have mercy on your soul." Diane smirked then terminated the conference call.

Bryce walked up to Chuck and patted him on the back.

"Don't worry buddy, I'll get him. And don't worry about your dad; I'll keep an eye on him."

Chuck spun around, confusion written all over his face.

"What are you talking about Bryce?"

Stephen appeared at the side of Larkin, and he cleared his throat.

"Son, we need to talk."

Bryce at least had the courtesy to look regretful for letting it slip. He walked off mumbling an apology and how he suddenly remembered he had something important to do.

Aside from Sarah, everyone else split too, realizing how father and son might have desired some much needed privacy.

Sarah knew she probably should have left like the rest of her team, but if Chuck needed her, then she damn sure was going to be there.

With a timid voice, she asked, "Should I go Chuck?"

He turned, and the nervousness in his eyes gave way to how he felt. "Could you stay?"

How that simple question could make her feel like the happiest person in the world, she had no clue…Oh hell, who was she kidding, she knew exactly why. He needed her. **Her Chuck** needed her.

She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Of course, I'm not going anywhere."

Chuck gave Sarah a quick kiss and turned back to his father.

"You aren't staying are you?"

Stephen lowered his head. "I'm going to be a part of the new Team Intersect."

Chuck's eyes widened slightly. "You have got to be kidding me!? Why, you're not an agent. Why not stay and be with your family? Ellie is having a baby for Christ's sake!"

Stephen tried to smile to lighten the mood. "I might not be an agent, but Orion still has some moves…" When he didn't see any smiles reflecting back at him, he quickly continued. "…Look Charles, The Intersect all started with me, and I have to take responsibility for it. I have to make sure the government doesn't try anything, and that Bryce is OK and the Intersect is being used for what it was meant for. I still have a lot of enemies…And it's not like I'm going away forever, if anything, I'll be able to visit more seeing as how Team Intersect and Team Bartowski's paths should be crossing more often than not. I'm going to help in the taking down of Shaw, then once that's done, we'll help with Volkoff."

Chuck didn't know what to say. He got that his dad felt an obligation regarding The Intersect, and that Stephen was probably distancing himself to help keep his kids safe once again, but it still pissed him the hell off.

Still, there had to be more. Chuck noticed how his father had paused after talking about his many enemies. Was Orion going to use Bryce for his own selfish gains?

Stephen wrapped his arms around his son "Aces Charles, you're aces."

He didn't feel Chuck reciprocate the hug, but once he spoke the phrase he used to always say to his son, he at least felt the tension leave Chuck's body.

Orion then surprised Sarah by wrapping her up in a hug. In her ear, he whispered, "Take care of my son."

She could only nod.

Stephen Bartowski went off in search of Bryce. They needed to fly out to Washington D.C. soon, and that left him with limited time for his farewell with his daughter.

Chuck's eyes were unfocused as he gazed into nothing in particular.

"I can't believe he's leaving again. Why can't he just stay?"

Sarah stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his back. Instinctively, Chuck's hands wrapped her up as well.

"I think he's doing what he thinks is best for his family." She snuggled into his chest.

Chuck kissed the top of her head. "I get that, it's just…" He sighed.

Sarah looked up at him. "You'll always have me."

Chuck looked into her oceanic eyes and smiled. "We'll always have each other…" He descended upon her lips. When they separated, he spoke. "…I love you."

Sarah stood on her tippy toes and gave him a peck on the lips. "I love you too."

When their lips converged for a third time, they were in no hurry to let go anytime soon. They could have stayed interlocked with each other till the world, and its people, withered away around them, leaving Chuck and Sarah to be the only ones left. To them, that's all they needed.

* * *

**July 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

It was dark.

Every light in the place was off, but since it was mid-afternoon, some rays of sunlight seeped through the closed blinds.

Chuck was nervous. This was just way too important for anything to go wrong.

"Morgan buddy, we need to be on point for this."

The bearded one smiled at his friend's nervousness. Morgan was honored that his brother had so much faith in him. He wasn't known as a responsible person, in fact, it was the exact opposite. Morgan Guillermo Grimes was the master at work avoidance. But with all that this mission entailed, and the lives at stake, he was going to work harder than he has ever had before.

"I won't let you down Chuck. I'll show you that you made the right decision in choosing me as team leader for this mission."

Chuck smiled. Morgan was always there when he needed him the most, and right now, he needed him more than ever. He knew his little buddy was the right choice. Chuck was about to open his mouth to respond when a resounding knock silenced him.

Morgan went to his room to get the plans while Chuck went to the front door. Once he was satisfied with what he saw through the spyhole, he quickly herded the rest of his team inside.

Carina was the first to voice her confusion.

"Chucky, why are we here…and why are there no lights?"

"All in due time Carina."

He shuffled everyone around the dining room table, and flicked the light switch for the lamps positioned by the doors leading to the back patio on. It wasn't nearly enough to illuminate the room, though it was good enough for the small area around the table. There was a good chance he was being over dramatic, but he was going for stealth, and what was stealthier than darkness?

As Morgan walked over to the group carrying what seemed to be a poster sized roll of paper, Tiffany was the second one to voice her concerns. She was worried with all the secrecy Chuck was exhibiting. He usually was very warm, open, and caring. It was what made her fall for the nerd in the first place…_Annnnd that's enough of that!_

"Alright Chuck, what's going on, you're making me a little worried. Did Beckman call about a new mission?"

Chuck was ready for all the inquiries, but what surprised him was the fact that Casey kept quiet. Did he know? That'd be impossible, there was no way…then again John was always very intuitive, even if he had you believing otherwise.

"We do have an important mission on our hands, and all of your questions will be answered soon. Now everyone listen up. Morgan has the floor since I've appointed him mission lead for this."

Casey finally sounded off. The Colonel's grunt voiced his displeasure at the bearded gnome being in charge. There was a slight hint of 'doom' in there as well. John Casey was a very talented man when it came to grunting.

Grimes unrolled the massive poster that contained a map with a bunch of writing and sticker markers on it.

"This mission…if you choose to accept…will be named, Operation Ring…"

Morgan caught the incredulous glare from Chuck and wondered what he had done wrong already. He then remembered the name of the nefarious organization Team Bartowski had just recently taken down, and realized the mishap. Probably not the greatest idea to have anything relating the two.

"…I mean that is not the name. The actual name for this mission is…" He couldn't think of anything at the moment. "…That's not important right now, we'll think about the name later. Anyways, what we have here is a map of…"

Captain Awesome interrupted. Devon had stayed silent up until this point because he felt the mixture of shock and excitement with actually being involved in the spy game. But when the meeting started, he began thinking of the danger involved and the secrets he might have to keep from Ellie, who wasn't present at this little spy briefing. Not awesome. Morgan unraveling that map, and talking about mission names finally snapped him out of his thought process.

"Whoa guys, this is very exciting and all, and I'm honored that you guys think I can handle all this spy stuff, but I don't think I should be here. I don't want to have to lie to your sister Chuckster."

Chuck smiled. He couldn't have imagined a better husband for his sister. Devon was amazing.

"Relax Devon, she knows."

Morgan nodded. "Yeah dude, no need to worry. Ellie is actually a big part of this. Who do you think is distracting our mark as we speak?"

Awesome's eyes widened. "Chuck, how can you put your sister in danger like that!? She's pregnant!"

"Devon I would never do…" He shook his head in disbelief. "…she's with Sarah right now." Chuck knew this could all go downhill, and fast.

The Captain was still tense, but he felt slightly better that Sarah was with Ellie. He had to be overreacting right? The Chuckster would never let any harm come to his sister.

Devon nodded, not trusting his voice.

Grimes continued. "As I was saying, this here is a map of the proposal plan that my main man here has had ever since we were kids. Of course it has been revised since then."

Morgan had taken Chuck's proposal plan and had the map of the beach near the Pacific Coast Highway, enlarged to make it seem more legit. This was serious business after all.

Carina and Tiffany's eyes both widened in realization at the same time. He saw this and the Bartowski smile broke out and was in full effect.

The two ladies rounded the table to envelope one of the most important men in their lives, in an embrace. They weren't normally ones to show what Casey had termed 'lady feelings', but they were surprisingly…and quite honestly…happy. Sure, the two beautiful bombshells were also a tad jealous, but a long time ago, they had both accepted in their own ways that Chuck and Sarah were meant to be. They were still going to give Walker a bit of a hard time, but you can blame Chuckles for that.

Devon joined the pile for a hug after belting out, "Congrats Bro…Group hug, Awesome!"

Morgan of course wouldn't be denied, however, he was trying to bury his way into the group so that he would be in between the two lovely ladies.

Casey just stayed off to the side mumbling about being 'surrounded by pansies'. Oddly enough, the Colonel did develop a bit of the sniffles all of a sudden.

When everyone disentangled themselves, they all got started on coming up with ideas for how Chuck should pop the question to Walker.

Of course Devon's first idea was to propose while sky diving. Apparently, since he couldn't have proposed to Ellie that way, he wanted someone else to do it. Chuck just shook his head and said that even though they were spies, it still probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Morgan wanted the proposal to happen at a romantic restaurant where there would be champagne, a string quartet, and 'Caballeros'. Naturally, Morgan would be waiting by the horse drawn carriage after dinner, wearing a penguin suite with a top hat; around 100 red and white balloons in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other.

Carina and Tiffany nixed that idea. Although they thought it to be romantic, the two female spies believed it to be best if the proposal was simple yet intimate. Something like showing Sarah a ring size chart and asking her to look up her size. Once Sarah accuses Chuck of giving away his secret, Chuck would drop down on one knee and show her that he already has a ring. Their reasoning for why they were right; 'Trust us, we know what women like'.

Casey…well he was Casey. John grumbled something unintelligible and made his way into the kitchen in search of scotch. When Chuck followed the Colonel a beat after, no one seemed to notice since everyone was too busy arguing about what Chuck should do.

John apparently knew he had company because when he turned around, he had two cups filled with the amber liquid. He handed one to Chuck which he gratefully accepted.

"Something the matter Casey?"

"Remember me telling you how I was married once?"

"Yeah…Her name was Kathleen right?" Chuck wanted to know so much more, but he thought it best to keep silent.

Casey grunted, 'yes'. "Never told you how I proposed though…I was about to ship out. We were young, I was stupid and things got screwed up. So I ended up proposing in a, Buffalo bus station. Not exactly the most romantic spot in the world…" Casey took a swig of his drink. "…But I'll always have that day. I'll always have that look on her face. You know the truth is there's no such thing as a perfect moment, or a perfect spot, so; forget about all that craziness in there, Bartowski…" He took another sip. "…All you need is the girl."

Chuck couldn't believe the emotion John was showing. It wasn't the first time the Colonel did this, but it damn sure wasn't on a regular basis.

"You know John, I think you're right." He downed the rest of his drink and went back out to the dining area, followed by Casey.

Morgan was saying something about combining everyone's ideas. "Well, except for the Captains'."

Devon shook his head. "Not awesome bro."

Chuck entered the conversation. After speaking with John, he agreed that it didn't need to be 'perfect'. It just had to be from the heart. Morgan's idea of taking bits and pieces from everyone's suggestions actually helped him formulate an actual proposal plan. And the good news…or bad news depending on how you looked at it…it wouldn't involve Deloreans, Lamborghinis, or wild stallions, like his old proposal plan.

"Guys, I think I got it."

* * *

**July 2010**

He had been starring at the door for who knew how long. It wasn't that he was scared, because he wasn't. It was more like he was anxious. Behind this door was the man who would be instrumental in helping him with the devastation of Sarah Walker.

Charles Bartowski, a.k.a. Charles Carmichael, who knew?

Shaw had finally found the identity of the man who was cradled in Walker's arms that fateful day of The Ring's destruction. Apparently, Carmichael and Walker have been partners before, and more importantly, a couple. Well, maybe not an official couple, but from what he had learned from his sources, it was plain as day that they were both compromised with each other.

He lifted his hand and gave three sharp knocks on the wooden mahogany door.

A voice coming from the room behind the door instructed him to come in.

_Was this a trap? That wouldn't make sense…_

Daniel strengthened his resolve, and pushed the door open. He immediately saw the man he'd been searching for, ever since his contacts relayed the information he needed while on the run, sitting in a chair at the end of the room. What surprised Shaw was the fact that the man smiled as if this was all expected. But how could that be?

Daniel took the seat across from his would be accomplice.

The man spoke in a thick Russian accent.

"What can I do for you Agent Shaw?"

"I think it's more of what we can do for each other. We seem to have a common enemy, and as the saying goes…the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Volkoff's grin grew. He was certainly intrigued.

"Is that so?"

Shaw nodded. "Not only will I break out your man, Yuri Gobrienko, but I can deliver the team that took him down in the first place…This, Team Bartowski."

Alexi's fists clenched and his eyes narrowed. All the while he kept that huge grin on his face.

Volkoff wondered how this Shaw person could have obtained such knowledge, but more importantly, if he knew too much. There was no doubt that he wanted revenge on the people who took Yuri, and if he could get his soldier back in the process, all the better. Yuri was important to Volkoff Industries…well ok, not him so much, as his faux eye. Did Shaw know of the intel the eye contained? Impossible.

"May I ask how you know what you do?"

"I belonged to the CIA not so long ago. During that time, I managed to gain very loyal colleagues. But not just in the CIA, I have a source in the NSA as well. I specifically found out about your man and the team that brought him down from my source in the NSA who, let's say, is very close to the top." Shaw smirked.

Volkoff nodded in understanding. "Even if your information is correct, what exactly is in it for you Daniel?"

"When my wife was murdered, my country turned its back on me and cast me aside. They froze all my assets and made sure I was left with nothing…I'm going to need Volkoff Industries to back me financially, as well as a number of your men under my control. Once I deliver Team Bartowski however, two members of the team will be off limits to everyone except me…An Agent Charles Carmichael and an Agent Sarah Walker. The rest of the group; NSA agents Tiffany Andrews and John Casey, and DEA agent Carina Miller, are yours to do as you please…And who knows, if everything works out, maybe I can join your little cause permanently."

Alexi could almost taste the perniciousness seething out of Shaw. And the one thing besides power that Alexi loved was pure and unadulterated wickedness.

"Why are these two so important to you?"

Shaw hesitated. Revealing his reasons to Volkoff could drastically put him in a position of weakness. He technically was, but this Russian powerhouse didn't need to know that. In the end, Daniel decided to show his hand. Volkoff looked like the type of bastard who got off on shit like this. It would probably help his case if anything.

"Walker was the one who killed my wife…Carmichael is her partner and lover. At first I wanted to kill her, but now I see that the best option for revenge is to punish Walker by destroying Carmichael. When it's all over and he's dead, I may grant her mercy and kill her too. Or I might not and let her continue on living knowing that it was me who took her one true love away from her, just like she did mine."

Volkoff boomed out a jovial laugh.

Here he was, pouring his soul out, and this crazed man, who seemed one Matryoshka doll short of a full set, was actually laughing at him. Now usually, this would have angered Shaw, but all Volkoff's laughing seemed to do was unnerve him.

Alexi wiped the tears from his eyes as he took a deep breath to calm himself. _This is going to be fun._

"Daniel my boy…you have yourself a deal."

As apprehensive as Shaw felt, he had to smile. _This is going to be fun.  
_

* * *

**July 2010**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

The couple finally collapsed on their bed, breaths ragged. They were hot, naked, and sweaty. Chuck was on his back staring up at the ceiling; left arm lazily stroking his blonde goddesses back. Sarah on the other hand was snuggled up to his side; head on his chest, left arm draped over his waist, and legs playfully intertwined with his.

Sarah couldn't believe how this day had turned out. It started off so horrible and ended up being so…wow! Apparently, people were right when they said that angry sex was amazing. Of course, nothing would ever touch, **making love** with her Chuck. That's something that no words could even come close to describing. But angry sex definitely came in at a close second.

As she lifted her hand from his waist to play with his lithe chest hair, Sarah reflected back on the events that transpired that brought them to where they were now.

Sarah had known for some time that things weren't right. Casey, Carina, and Tiffany all seemed normal, although her two female teammates did seem more puckish than usual. It was everyone else who seemed to actively avoid her. She had asked Chuck what was going on, and even when he told her that everything was fine, she knew he was lying. It had hurt a lot that he didn't seem to trust her wholeheartedly, but she tried to let it go, choosing to believe that Chuck had a good reason for keeping secrets.

It was when she bumped into Morgan out in the courtyard today that everything seemed to come to a head. The moment she pierced him with her questioning gaze, he yelped and ran away. The yelping wasn't a surprise, but the small one actually ran away!_ I didn't need to be the best spy in the world…which, FYI, I am…to figure out that something really fishy was going on._

Sarah confronted Chuck again, and this time she wouldn't take anything but the truth for an answer.

The minute she entered their apartment, she went on the attack. Of course with the mixture of her accusatory eyes and all the questions she bombarded him with, he couldn't help but stutter and ramble nonsense. Then, all of a sudden it seemed like he had an epiphany. Chuck turned it around on her and put out the full court press. Naturally, Sarah became defensive and unfortunately said some really hurtful things she definitely regretted; one of them being how she couldn't trust him anymore because of how much he changed. Understandably, in turn, Chuck struck her down by arguing how she was the one not to be trusted since she was the one who left with Bryce, and how he wasn't 100% sure that she wouldn't get bored and up and leave again. There was no doubt that neither of them meant anything they said, but they just got so caught up in the moment.

The next thing either of them knew, their faces crashed into one another. There was nothing sweet and soft about it. Their kisses were completely animalistic with all the sucking, biting, and licking that were being done. While their lips and tongues battled for dominance, their bodies were being slammed onto every damn surface of the apartment. Chuck would hammer her onto any vertical surface, and Sarah would reciprocate this by crashing him onto anything horizontal. As frantic and desperate as it felt and looked, it was like a dance that only the two of them could perform.

The only downside to their frenzied acts was that their clothes got caught in the crosshairs. Evidently, there was no time to undress, not even if they hastily stripped to the best of their abilities. Both Chuck and Sarah started ripping, shredding, and tearing at anything they could get their hands on. Who needed clothes anyways?

Sarah sighed in content. Chuck was insatiable as he brought her over the edge four times…_Or was it five? It was all a huge gigantic orgasmic blur!_ She was completely sated. But here she was, replaying scenes that happened not too long ago; and the fire in her that was once languished, reignited yet again.

She felt his chest hairs curl around her nimble fingers and her mouth began kissing and nipping at his skin. Sarah heard Chuck groan and mumble something unintelligible, but she just smiled and continued enjoying the taste of his body.

Chuck was in heaven, pure and simple. He was exhausted as hell, but what Sarah was dong to him right now made him forget that fact. Unfortunately, that mixture of fatigue and euphoria, made Chuck not realize that he was saying his thoughts out loud. Now you would think that that wouldn't be a problem since he's usually an open book anyways, and at the moment, he was actually mumbling more than speaking actual words. But of course the one thought that was the mother of all thoughts, was something that Sarah, of course, heard clearly.

With a loopy expression on his face, Chuck muttered, "Marry me."

Sarah's eyes went wide as her teeth clamped down on an area of skin near his navel, casing Chuck to yelp in pain.

"Sarah what the…" He craned his neck to look at her and all he saw were gigantic mesmerizing cerulean eyes staring back at him. He honestly had no clue what could have caused her to react like she did. _Was it something I said?_ "…What's going on? Is something wrong?"

She instantly snapped out of her current state as her eyes began to water and her smile grew. He may have asked her…kind of…because of the ecstasy driven state she had induced, but she would take it. After all, he had let slip his intentions before with the name mix-up, and he wouldn't have said anything now if he hadn't meant it, right?

Sarah started nodding her head enthusiastically as she peppered his body with kisses.

"Yes Chuck…Yes…I'll marry you!"

It was Chuck's turn for his eyes to enlarge. _Why would she…unless…did I…_

He replayed the last few minutes in his head. He remembered how he asked Sarah to marry him in his mind, but he must have said it out loud if Sarah…

Chuck closed his eyes and groaned. "Dammit, I can't believe…" He didn't see the hurt in Sarah's eyes. But then, like a light bulb being screwed on, it hit him. His eyes sprung open and he looked at her again as the Bartowski special threatened to split his face. "…Wait a minute, did you just say yes?"

Seeing his smile made her fears die down considerably and all she could do was nod adorably as a smile of her own threatened to outdo her fiancés.

Chuck pulled her up quickly and their lips interlocked passionately. After several minutes though, the need for air became apparent, and they reluctantly detached.

Chuck's hand flew to his face and he smacked himself as realization once again dawned on him.

"Sarah, you've made me the happiest person alive by saying yes, but…This is so screwed up. I had everything set up so I could propose to you tomorrow night!"

Things had finally clicked into place for Sarah as well.

"Is that the secret you've been keeping?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry for lying to you, but I just wanted it to be perfect. I wanted to surprise you."

She just gazed down at him adoringly. "No, I'm sorry for pressing the issue. I know you would never keep anything important from me. I should have just trusted you and let it go. Like you said, you were just trying to surprise me."

Chuck smirked. "Is it bad that I'm not sorry for the fight though?"

She slapped his chest and buried her head in the crook of his neck.

He kissed the top of her head.

"I mean wow!"

She giggled. "I know…we should definitely have more fights. I've heard they're quite healthy for a relationship."

"If nothing else, it will sure improve our cardio" he smiled mischievously.

She lightly nipped him "So what now?"

He thought about it for a beat. "Well, we can still do things as planned, so dress nice tomorrow because we're going out for a very romantic dinner."

"Chuck, it really isn't necessary. What we shared today was more than perfect. I don't need some over the top proposal."

"I feel the same way about today too. But Sarah, I want to do this for you. I want to show you how much you mean to me…and to be perfectly honest, a part of it is for me too."

Sarah lifted herself from his embrace and just stared at him quizzically.

He lightly blushed. "What? So I dreamed about how I would propose to someone when I was younger. Kids do that all the time!"

The amusement in her eyes was plain to see. "Yea Chuck. Little girls dream about their weddings and proposals all the time."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

Sarah smiled brightly. "Love you"

Chuck chuckled and pulled her back to her spot. The one where she was half on top of him with her head buried in the crook of his neck.

Sarah's mind thought back to when Chuck spoke about going out for a romantic dinner and her mind started to drift to the story about her parents 'nightmare' proposal. She didn't believe in superstition, but why take the chance?

"Chuck, maybe the whole restaurant idea isn't…"

He interrupted her train of thought.

"Sarah, everything will be fine. I have everyone making sure that every little detail will go off without a hitch."

"Everyone huh?" _Hmm, Ellie and Casey are too strong to break. Maybe I can corner Morgan or the Captain...they should break easily. Or I can probably goad Tiffany and Carina into spilling._

Chuck interrupted her musings. "Trust me Sarah."

Sarah just smiled and nuzzled herself into his body deeper.

"Always Chuck."

* * *

**The next night**

**Los Angeles **

**Casa Bartowski/Grimes**

Sarah felt like the luckiest woman in the world. In only a few hours, she will officially become Mrs. Bartowski! Let's just ignore the fact that they've technically already gotten engaged less than 24 hours ago, and that it won't really be 'official' until they get married. I mean, who would be stupid enough to argue with Sarah 'Freaking' Walk…Uh, Bartowski!?

She looked herself over in the mirror. Even she had to admit that she looked pretty damn good. Sarah wore a nice figure hugging, 'red/salmon' colored dress that ended a couple inches below her knees. Her royal blue heels really brought out her eyes, and the light shade of blush and lipstick she wore just accentuated her beauty.

As Sarah fussed over putting on her hoop earrings, she got lost in thought as she noticed the bracelet Chuck gave her for Christmas, dangling from her right wrist. Sarah thought how a ring would really be a great compliment to that piece of jewelry. She shook herself out of her musings and called out to her fiancé.

"Chuck, sweetie, give me a couple more minutes. I'm almost done."

Her hands stilled after a few minutes. She thought it a little strange that she got no response.

A little louder this time, Sarah yelled out for him. "Chuck?"

Again, nothing._ He's probably asleep. I did wear him out this morning after all._

Seeing as she was done, Sarah quickly grabbed her shawl and moved to exit their room. She didn't have her gun with her, but she did have a couple of knives strapped to her thigh. Yes, having precision killing instruments on her person might not be very fitting for such a special occasion, but there was no way she was going to have a repeat performance of when that Colt fellow crashed their first real date.

Once she opened the door, she immediately took notice of the white Gardenia pedals on the floor. When Sarah stepped out of the room, she saw that the pedals made a trail that led to the front door. Figuring Chuck was probably hiding, or not even in the apartment, she followed the pedals.

There was a note attached to the door, and as she read it, a smile was unconsciously making its way to her face.

_Sarah,_

_ Meet me at our spot. The spot where it all began, I'll be waiting… And if you could hurry that would be great because it's a bit chilly. _

_ Love, Your Fiancé_

Sarah quickly grabbed the keys to her Porsche and raced out to her Chuck. She knew exactly where he was, and thankfully she would get there in half the time it would take anybody else since she had her old car back.

Racing there in the triple digits, she got there as fast as she expected, but it seemed like it was still too slow.

Sarah pulled her car into the spot next to her soon to be husband's car, and got out. Right away, she saw another trail, but instead of pedals, the path was made up of small tissue papered lanterns, with burning candles on the inside. She followed the lanterns with her eyes and could see a shadowy figure in the middle of the beach, surrounded by even more lanterns that were positioned specifically to create a heart shape around the man. It was too dark to see who it really was, but she knew.

Tempering down her butterflies, she started moving along the line of lights, getting closer to the person in the process. About halfway, the lights surrounding the figure gave off enough light to illuminate the man's face. When she reached the end of the trail, she stepped inside of the heart, created by the lights, and was immediately rewarded with the Bartowski special.

Chuck took Sarah's left hand in his and immediately dropped to a knee.

Sarah shouldn't have been surprised. With the Gardenia pedals, the note asking to meet at their spot, and all the lanterns, she figured him proposing now rather than at dinner was a real possibility. But still, knowing all of that didn't stop her heart from threatening to burst. Nor did it lessen the shock or temper her nerves.

Chuck pulled out a small red box and opened it, revealing a simple, yet elegant, round cut diamond set in a four pronged setting on top of a platinum band. It wasn't flashy or gaudy, it was just perfect.

"Sarah, I love you with all my heart. We've been through a lot, and the fact that we still ended up where we are now proves that we were meant for one another. I promise to do everything in my power to make you feel more loved than you ever thought possible. You've already made me the happiest person in the world, so make me all the much happier by agreeing to be my wife…Sarah Walker, will you marry me?"

Why couldn't she say yes? As the tears streaked down her soft cheeks, she willed herself to speak, but nothing came out. Hadn't she already accepted not 24 hours earlier? Thinking about it all, Sarah realized that it wasn't about doubts, it was everything as a whole. The lights, the beach, Chuck down on a knee holding her hand while he held a diamond ring in his other. Everything was so beautiful that it filled her with his love and rendered her speechless.

Seeing the sliver of horror bubbling up to the surface of Chuck's face, probably because she wasn't answering the question, Sarah dropped to her knees and gave her answer to the best of her abilities. She pulled him into a kiss that yielded them both mute.

After a handful of minutes where the only thing audible were the crashing waves, the light breeze, the flicker of the candles, and their labored breaths; Chuck spoke.

"I'll take that as a yes?"

Sarah tackled him to the ground and repeatedly gave her 'answer'.

* * *

Sarah didn't like it, but they drove home in different cars since they had got to the beach separately. When they both stepped out of their cars when they arrived at the apartment complex however, Sarah immediately latched onto Chuck's side like a sea barnacle as they walked towards their home.

"Sorry for making us late for our reservation Chuck."

He chuckled. "It's alright Sarah, I'm sure we can still have dinner somewhere after we get cleaned up a bit. How does sand get in such weird places?"

Sarah laughed.

When they got to the door, Chuck's phone sounded, alerting them of a new text. When he read it he tried his hardest to keep a straight face.

"Sarah honey, can you do me a favor and lift your left hand in the air?"

She stared at him strangely but acquiesced.

Out of nowhere, the mother of all high pitched squeals broke the sound barrier.

Ellie was in her apartment with Devon, Carina, Tiffany, Casey, and Morgan. But even with the solid material separating Ellie from the newly engaged couple, her squeal was loud enough to make Chuck and Sarah cover their ears.

The couple quickly stumbled into their home while bursting out in laughter in the process. It was a true testament to how relaxed Sarah felt that it took her a moment for her to realize how their apartment was drastically different.

The lights were off and the whole place was littered with candles and white Gardenia pedals. On the dining room table sat a romantic dinner for two, with the main course being Chuck's famous Chicken Pepperoni with a bottle of red wine to wash it down. Off to the side of the table was a bottle of champagne placed in an ice bucket. And Sarah didn't know it yet, but waiting for her in the fridge was a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries. The cans of whip cream that accompanied those strawberries may or may not be used appropriately.

Sarah gasped at the sight. When she turned to her love, all he gave her was a sheepish smile and an unsure shrug.

"I can't believe you did all this."

"I definitely had help…If you still want to go out we can. I just thought a dinner with just the two of us would be nice."

Sarah pulled Chuck into a tight embrace.

"It's perfect…I still can't believe this is happening Chuck, I love you so much."

He kissed the top of her head. "Even though you leaving me was one of the worst times in my life, I like to believe that what you did effected and shaped the paths that led us here. And I wouldn't change one bit of it."

She pulled her head back to look at him, "Really?"

Chuck nodded. "Look at all the people in our lives and the love we have for one another. Now here we are, engaged to be married. Would you change anything?"

She had a sad smile on her face. "To be honest, I would change me leaving. I left out of fear and if I had to do it all over again, then I would do better at not letting it affect me as much…" Sarah stared into Chuck's chestnut eyes for awhile. "…But if me not leaving didn't lead to where we are now…then no I wouldn't change anything either."

Chuck smiled brightly and kissed her.

When they broke, he could see the mirth in her eyes.

With a straight face and an innocent expression Sarah spoke. "Chuck, we need to hurry up and get clean before our lovely dinner gets cold. I suggest we shower together to save time."

He laughed. "I'm pretty sure that would extend, not save time."

She broke from his embrace and slowly sauntered towards the bathroom, swaying her hips dramatically along the way. Sarah stopped midway and looked back with lust filled eyes.

"Well Mr. Bartowski, I guess that's why ovens exist."

Chuck groaned. "You will be the death of me Mrs. Bartowski!"

And with that, he chased after his fiancé. Chuck's laughter and Sarah's giggles filled the whole apartment…Well, that is until they reached the bathroom. There, other noises proceeded to come out of their mouths.

It's crazy how things turn out. One event can drastically shape the lives of individuals for the better, or for the worse. Let's all be thankful that Chuck and Sarah were fortunate enough to be a part of the former, and that they are finally happy.

Let's just hope that they don't take anything for granted, because you just never know when the next big domino will drop.

* * *

**A/N (2): Well, Th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks!**

**Thank you everybody who read, reviewed, PM, alerted, favorited, and/or enjoyed this story. Well even if you hated it, thanks anyways. A little sad that DE is done, but relieved as well. I wonder, does anyone want a sequel? Chances are slim that I would, but if I did, it would take a long time since I have to take a breather from this AU and I want to start on another project. But this story is open enough for there to be another installment. And I know, I know, Shaw is still alive. Put away your pitchforks and torches. I think he's an amazing villain so there. So again, anyone actually wants a sequel? I'm just curious more than anything so don't hold your breath.**

**Next project is a Chuck school story, but again, it will take awhile since I need a break and I want to get enough written so I can post frequently, not randomly like I did with this.**

**Big thanks to; Arya's prayers, BondX-24, CaptainCaplax, esardi, Hotski, KryptonitePoison, phnxgrl, Reyes9, and rphe, for constantly reviewing and sending their thoughts and praise my way. Much appreciated! If I forgot to list someone, my sincerest apologies, but anyone and everyone in the Chuckverse is awesome, so there's that. **

**Now, I would like everyone to recognize the greatness of uplink2 and MRG101. uplink2 as you should know by now is my beta, and without his brilliant corrections and suggestions, then my story would not be as good, clearly. MRG101 has also been a friend who helped me on occasion with this story, especially translations, as well as sending his constant support my way. You two are simply…AWESOME!**

**Until next time…VIVA LA CHUCK!**

**Any and all reviews are appreciated.**


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